1. Attachment

2. Classical conditioning to explain attachments
UCS UCR
UCS + NS UCR
Eventually,
NS becomes CS CR
Satisfaction/pleasure
food
food
foodgiver
Satisfaction/pleasure
Satisfaction/pleasure
foodgiver
Foodgiver leads to a response of pleasure in the baby, therefore an attachment has formed between caregiver and baby

3. Task – p.13 complete 2 rows to demonstrate operant conditioning in attachment
one for how the baby forms the attachment, and one for how the parent forms the attachment
The behaviour is “seeking proximity”
Behaviour Reward Behaviour is……
(add something nice,
Which is pleasurable)

4. Task – p.13 complete 2 rows to demonstrate operant conditioning in attachment
one for how the baby forms the attachment, and one for how the parent forms the attachment
The behaviour is “seeking proximity”
Behaviour Reward Behaviour is……
(add something nice,
Which is pleasurable)

5. Can also explain via negative reinforcement
Baby seeks proximity with caregiver
Caregiver seeks proximity with baby
Leads to a reduction in unpleasant consequences
E.g. reduction in hunger in baby- stops baby crying (for parent)
Therefore more likely to repeat seeking proximity to baby/caregiver
Therefore attachment forms.

6. Ao3 Strength Logical idea to explain human attachment
This is because it is highly plausible that babies will attach to the person providing essential needs for survival through association/reinforcement
Therefore, has face validity.
Limitations
1. One problem with the learning theory of attachment is that the person to whom an infant is attached is not always the person who feeds them. This undermines the major assumption of the theory.
For example, Schaffer and Emerson found that in 39% of cases the person who feeds the infant was NOT the person to whom they were first attached.
This means the learning theory of attachment is problematic as it cannot explain contradictory evidence.

7. 2. Another problem is that the learning theory of attachment is reductionist.
This means it tends to reduce complex human attachment behaviour down to simple stimulus response bonds. This is a problem because it is oversimplistic.
In reality, attachment behaviour is determined by a complex interaction of both learned and inborn factors.

8. 3. A third problem is that Harlow (1959) has animal evidence to challenge this theory:
This is because Harlow found that baby monkeys attached to the wire ‘mother’ that provided comfort (cloth) and not the wire ‘mother’ who provided food. This was shown by the monkeys showing proximity seeking behaviours to the cloth mother monkey (e.g. clinging to it, running to it when scared).
Therefore, this suggests that the learning theory of attachment is incorrect because attachment is NOT based on food.
(so lacks…..)

9. 4. Cross-cultural evidence suggests this theory is invalid
4. Cross-cultural evidence suggests this theory is invalid. For example, Fox (1977) studied attachment bonds between mothers, babies and metapelets on Israeli kibbutzim. Metapelets are trained, full-time carers of newborn children allowing mothers to work, and therefore do most of the feeding. Generally, children were more attached to their mothers suggesting learning the attachment due to food is incorrect. Which weakens the explanatory power of the LT of attachment.

10. Task p15 On own Answer Max scenario Q
I would use classical conditioning as it is easiest
Don’t forget to explain for each parent

11. Max
Max has become attached to his mother via classical conditioning as she is the parent who has been looking after him and therefore feeding him.
Max has associated food (the unconditioned stimulus) with his mother (the neutral stimulus) as she has stayed at home to care for him. Over repeated associations, this has become an attachment, with his mother being the conditioned stimulus, producing a conditioned response of pleasure in Max.
Max does not have a close bond with his father, as his father does not have much to do with the day-to-day care of Max, and so has not been associated with food.

12. Bowlby’s theory of attachment
Attachment is an innate process for both parent and child, and is adaptive for the child (ie promotes survival)
Babies display social releasers (e.g. crying, smiling) which encourage a care- giving response which leads to the formation of an attachment
Babies display MONOTROPY – an innate tendency to attach to one adult female, usually the mother
It is the first attachment to develop, is unique and the strongest of all.
There is a critical period for the formation of this attachment. If it is not formed between 6/7 months and 2-3 years, it will not be possible after.
It is vital for later social and psychological development.
This relationship leads to the child forming an “internal working model” which is used as a template for future relationships (this is called the continuity hypothesis).
TASK - HIGHLIGHT/BOX one or more key word for each bullet point
To help you remember these 7 bullet points

13. Bowlby’s theory of attachment
Attachment is an innate process for both parent and child, and is adaptive for the child (ie promotes survival)
Babies display social releasers (e.g. crying, smiling) which encourage a care-giving response which leads to the formation of an attachment
Babies display MONOTROPY – an innate tendency to attach to one adult female, usually the mother
It is the first attachment to develop, is unique and the strongest of all.
There is a critical period for the formation of this attachment. If it is not formed between 6/7 months and 2-3 years, it will not be possible after.
It is vital for later social and psychological development.
This relationship leads to the child forming an “internal working model” which is used as a template for future relationships (this is called the continuity hypothesis).

14. Task
Fill in gaps to complete a 4 mark answer on learning theory of attachment
(for 4 marks you would only need to cover one aspect of learning theory- as shown)
Extension –
What would you add to turn this into a 6 mark answer?