Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Explanations of attachment:learning theory - key points, Unconditioned…
Explanations of attachment:learning theory - key points
DOLLAND AND MILLER (1950) learning theory of attachment
importance of food:
'cupboard love' explanation because it emphasises the importance of food in forming attachments.
children learn to love whoever feed them.
ROLE OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
classical conditioning involves learning to associate two stimuli in attachment
UCS - unconditioned stimulus
(food) leads to
UCR
(a feeling of pleasure). this response is not learned so it is an
unconditioned response
baby learns that mother produces a sense of pleasure
A caregiver (mother) starts as a NS i.e. something that produces no response.
but, when the caregiver provides food over time, they become associated with 'food'. so, the
NS - neutral stimulus
becomes the
CS - condition stimulus
once conditioning has taken place the sight of the caregiver produces a CR of pleasure. According to a learning theorist, the conditioned pleasure response is the basis of love.
CR - CONDITION RESPONSE
Now an attachment has formed and the caregiver becomes an attachment figure.
role of operant conditioning - PCG'S attach to babies
operant conditioning explains why babies cry for comfort (important for building attachment).
Crying leads to a response from the caregiver ( e.g. feeding) As long as the caregiver provides the correct response crying is reinforced because it produces a pleasurable consequences.
Unconditioned stimulus (food) -----> Unconditioned response (pleasure)
Neutral stimulus (caregiver) -----> No response
Unconditioned (food) + neutral stimulus (caregiver) ----> Unconditioned response (pleasure)
Conditioned stimulus (caregiver) -----> conditioned response (pleasure)