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attachment p2 - Coggle Diagram
attachment p2
explanations for attachment: learning theory
A01
theory suggests that all behaviour is learned through operant and classical conditioning, behaviour is determined by experiences
Attachment can be explained through an association between the mother and food through an innate stimulus-response. The innate stimulus is food which produces the innate (unlearned response of pleasure. Food is an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) and pleasure is an unconditioned response (UCR)
stimulus response formula (classical conditioning)
neutral stimulus (NS) --> no response
mother (NS) --> no response
unconditioned stimulus (UCS) --> unconditioned response (UCR)
food (UCS) --> pleasure (UCR)
neutral stimulus (NS) + unconditioned stimulus (UCS) --> unconditioned response (UCR)
association
conditioned stimulus (CS) --> conditioned response (CR)
mother (NS) + food (UCS) --> pleasure (UCR)
mother (CS) --> pleasure (CR)
This newly formed stimulus-response is called ‘mother love’ by behaviourists and explains how attachment is formed.
Dollard and Miller
suggested that attachment was based on operant conditioning and drive reduction theory (drive = something that motivates behaviour)
for example when an infant is hungry there is a 'drive' to reduce their discomfort and when the infant is fed their 'drive' is reduced which produces a feeling of pleasure, this is therefore rewarding -negative reinforcement and the behaviour led to this is more likely to be repeated
through classical conditioning the person who provides the food is associated with pleasure/avoiding discomfort and becomes a secondary reinforcer so attachment occurs because the child seeks the person who supplies the food/reward
social learning theory
suggests that modelling could be used to explain attachment behaviours.
They proposed that children observe their parents’ affectionate behaviour and imitate this
Parents would also deliberately instruct their children about how to behave in relationships and reward appropriate attachment and behaviours such as giving kisses and hugs
A03
criticisms
largely based on animal studies such as skinner's research with pigs. not all human behaviour can be explained by conditioning, especially a complex behaviour such as attachment. Non-behaviorists argue that attachment involves innate predispositions and mental activity that could be explained by conditioning. not all human behaviour can be explained by conditioning, especially a complex behaviour such as attachment. Non-behaviorists argue that attachment involves innate predispositions and mental activity that could be explained by conditioning - reductionist
counter argument: Behaviourists believe that humans are actually no different to other animals in terms of how they learn. Our behaviour patterns are constructed from the same basic building blocks of stimulus and response so they therefore argue it is legitimate to generalise animal studies to human behaviour
There is strong evidence to show that feeding has nothing to do with attachment. Study conducted by Harlow on infant rhesus monkeys were most ‘attached’ to the wire mother that provided contact comfort, not food. furthermore this study was supported by Shaffer and Emerson's research which shows that contact comfort is more important than food when forming attachment in both monkeys and humans. therefore this suggests that the learning explanation is oversimplified and ignores other important factors such as comfort.
support
One strength of learner theory is that it can be explained by some aspects of attachment. Infants do learn through association and reinforcement however food may not be the main reinforcer. It may be that attention and responsiveness from a caregiver are important rewards that assist in the formation of attachment. Such reinforcers were not part of the learning theory account. It may also be that responsiveness is something that infants imitate and thus learn about how to conduct relationships. learning theory may not provide a complete explanation but it does hold some value.
explanations for attachment: Bowlby's monotropic theory
A01
why attachment forms
evolved because it serves an important survival function - an infant who is not attached is less well protected. Our distant infant ancestors would have been in danger if they did not remain close to an adult.
how attachment forms
critical period
attachment should be formed from 3-6 months, infants who do not have the opportunity to form attachments during this time have difficulty forming attachments later on. Bowlby proposed that sensitivity determined who an infant will attach to in this period.
social releasers
important in the critical period to ensure that attachment develops from parent to infant. social releasers are behaviours such as smiling or cooing. these innate mechanisms that explain the importance of reciprocity and intersectional synchrony
monotropy
Bowlby proposed that infants have one special emotional bond - the primary attachment relationship. this is usually formed with the infants biological mother but not always. The importance of monotropy is that an infant has one special relationship and forms a mental representation of this relationship called an internal working model.
consequences of attachment
internal working model
1) in the short term - attachment gives the child and insight into the caregivers behaviour and therefore how to influence the caregivers behaviour and a relationship can be formed
2) in the long term- attachment/monotropy acts as a template for all future relationships
continuity hypothesis
proposes that all infants who are strongly attached in childhood continue to be socially and emotionally competent whereas infants who are not attached have more social and emotional difficulty in childhood and adulthood.
A03
support
it links to early features in an infant's life which shows how it is adaptive.
criticisms