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Learning Theory. - Coggle Diagram
Learning Theory.
Extra Evaluation.
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Isabella et al found that high levels of interactional synchrony predicted the quality of attachments. This factor is not related to feeding. Therefore, suggests that food is not the main factor in the formation of human attachments.
Both classical and operant conditioning explanations see the baby playing a relatively passive role in attachment development. When in fact babies take a very active role in the interactions that produce attachment....
supported by Feldman and Eidelman.
This means that conditioning may not be an adequate explanation of any aspect of attachment.
Harlow (1958) experimented with the attachments formed between rhesus monkeys and surrogate mothers. In this case the surrogate mothers were wire framed models that provided food and therefore satisfied the monkeys' primary needs, or ones that were comfortable and padded but provided no food. The findings were that the monkeys would cuddle up to and be more distressed at losing the comfortable padded surrogate mother that provided no food than they were the uncomfortable wire-framed surrogate mother that fed them. It would be easy to conclude from this that conditioning does not explain attachment in infant monkeys as they are not linking food with pleasure, but clinging could actually be essential to the survival of infant monkeys whose mothers may be swinging through trees and so conditioning could still adequately explain their attachment formations - clinging is not so essential for survival to humans.
Schaffer & Emerson (1964) studied the attachments formed by 60 infants from birth. They found that a significant number of infants formed attachments with a person other than the one doing the feeding, nappy changing, etc. and that the primary attachment was often with the father and not the mother. They found that it was the quality of interaction with the infant that was most important - stronger attachments were formed with the person who was most sensitive and responsive to the infant's needs.
Classical Conditioning.
- Classical conditioning is learning through association and was first investigated by Ivan Pavlov.
- The food: Unconditioned stimulus.
- Being feed caused pleasure: Unconditioned response.
- The infant begins to associate food with the caregiver this causes the neutral stimulus to become the conditioned stimulus and produces a conditioned response.
- In this case, just seeing the person who feeds the infant gives the infant a feeling of pleasure.
- To a learning theorist this conditioned pleasure response is love, ie: an attachment is formed and the caregiver becomes an attachment figure.
Operant Conditioning.
- It is learning from the consequences of behaviour. If the behaviour produces a positives consequence, that behaviour is likely to be repeated again.
- LEARNING THROUGH REINFORCEMENT.
- It was first investigated by Skinner.
- Dollard and Miller offered an explanation of attachment-based on operant conditioning and drive reduction theory.
- A drive is something that motivates behaviour. For example: When an animal is uncomfortable it creates a drive to reduce discomfort.
- Operant conditioning can explant why a baby cries for comfort.
- Crying causes a response from the caregiver.
- Thus as long as the caregiver provides the correct response to the baby's crying it is reinforced.
- The baby directs crying for comfort towards the caregiver who responds with comforting 'social suppressor' behaviour.
- When the baby's needs are met the drive is reduced and this produces feelings of pleasure. This is negative reinforcement meaning, escape from something unpleasant.
- Hunger is seen as a primary drive for example we are motivated to eat in order to reduce the hunger drive.
- ROBERT SEARS ET AL 1957 suggested that, as caregivers provide food, the primary drive becomes generalized to them. Attachment is thus a secondary drive learned by an association between the caregiver and the satisfaction of a primary drive.
Social Learning Theory.
DALE HAY AND JO BESPO 1988 suggested that modelling could be used to explain attachment behaviours. They proposed that children observe their parents' affectionate behaviour and imitate it. The caregiver would reward appropriate behaviour by giving hugs and kisses.
Evaluation.
Point one
On criticism of the learning theory of attachment is that a lot of the research evidence that is used comes from non-human animals
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However, non-behaviourists argue that attachments are far too complex to be explained in such simple terms.
This matters because behaviourist explanations may present an oversimplified version of human behaviour and attachment
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Point two
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Research by Harlow (1959) demonstrated that infant rhesus monkeys were most attached to a wire monkey that provided contact comfort and not food
The learning theory suggests that food is a key element in attachment, whereas research on infant monkeys suggests that food is not the most important factor
This suggests that the learning explanation of attachment is oversimplified and ignores other important factors, such as contact comfort
Point three
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According to the learning theory, infants do learn through association and reinforcement; however, food may not be the most important reinforcer
It is possible that parental attention and responsiveness are important factors that assist in the formation of attachment; however, the basic principles of learning theory are supported
This shows that even though learning theory does not provide a complete explanations of attachment, it still has some value
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