LT of attachment is often referred to as-
cupboard love- love is motivated by food (baby is fed about 2000 times in 1st year of life
What is learning theory?
explains attachment as a result of conditioning, suggesting that babies become attached to their caregiver because they provide food.
In the classical conditioning example of a baby, food and mother, what is the UCS?
the food
what is the neutral stimulus? and what does the baby provide in response?
mother
no response
when the mother and food are paired together what does it create?
an unconditioned response of a content baby
who is then the conditioned stimulus and who is the conditioned response?
the mother of CS
baby is CR
what is the positive reinforcement in this situation?
baby cries- picked up
what is the Dollard & Miller (1950) drive reduction theory?
- a drive is something that motivates behaviour
There are two parts of primary drive:
-there are needs- food & water
-and there are drives (hunger & thirst)
-Drive reducing behaviours are eating & drinking
-when paired with the caregiver attachment = secondary drive
Positive A03 for LT about high ecological validity
P: LT explanation off attachment has high ecological validity
E: because babies are fed approx 2000x per year. + LT is founded upon established theories (CC&OC)
E: provides plenty of opportunity for association between caregiver and pleasure to occur
L: Therefore a plausible explanation
Negative A03 about not supported by Harlow
P:LT explanation if attachment not supported by animal studies
E: Harlow- rhesus monkeys spent more time on cloth mother
E: Suggests attachment formation is for comfort
L: therefore challenges LT explanation of attachments
