ATTACHMENT

• A reciprocal emotional relationship• Shaffer- “A close emotional relationship

between two persons, characterised by mutual affection, and a desire to maintain proximity”

• Relationship/link between you and your family, friends and partners

• See quote by Mary Ainsworth (1970, page 34)

BENEFITS CONSEQUENCES

• Food and care• Protection• Education in survival• Shapes long-term

relationships

• Security may affect romantic relationships

• Friendship• Relationship with own

children

Evaluation

OTHER EXPERINCES • This could affect future

relationships e.g. divorce of parents , moving home/school frequently. Adult experiences within the relationship.

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES • Temperament rather

than experience may affect our relationships, a ‘difficult’ infant may result in poor attachment and then poor relationships

What are the theories of attachment?

Learning theoryA group of explanations

(classical and operant) which explain behaviour in terms of learning or learnt behaviour (or

nurture)

• Classical conditioning• Operant conditioning

Evolutionary theoryExplains that behaviour is

innate or natural and due to evolution

• Innate• Sensitive period• Social releasers• Monotropy• Internal working model• Continuity hypothesis

Learning theory

• All behaviour (including attachment) is learnt rather than inborn

• Children are born as blank slates• What children become is due to their life

experiences• Behaviourists put these theories forward• Behaviour is learned by classical or operant

conditioning

Classical conditioning.....

• Learning by association, i.e. making links with an experience

• Ivan Pavlov, research on the salivation of dogs• Each time dogs fed = salivated• Dogs started salivating before feeding• Dogs associated the sound of the door with

food• Dogs learned a new stimulus response (S-R)

Explaining classical conditioning...• Food (UCS – unconditioned stimulus) =

produces a sense of pleasure (UCR - unconditioned reflex)

During conditioning = door opens and food given at the same time

Explaining classical conditioning in babies.....

• Milk is an UCS (unconditioned stimulus) which naturally provides an UCR (unconditioned reflex) in the baby of pleasure at relief from hunger. The reflex response is automatic and it not learned.

• Person who feeds the baby becomes associated with food; a CS (conditioned stimulus)

• The ‘feeder’ produces pleasure that the baby associates with food. This pleasure is learned or a CR (conditioned response)

Operant conditioning.....• Learning occurs when we are rewarded for

doing something• Skinner’s work with cats and rats – Skinner

boxes = food as a reward• What is the difference between positive

reinforcement and negative reinforcement?

Operant conditioning.....• Positive reinforcement - Each time you do

something and it results in a pleasant consequence = rewardReward = Reinforced behaviour = repeated

behaviour = reward• Negative reinforcement – when a behaviour

switches off something unpleasant, will be repeated, e.g. Baby crying = caregiver cuddles

Operant conditioning.....• Behaviour that result in an unpleasant

consequence = punishmentPunishment = behaviour not repeated

Explaining operant conditioning in babies.....

• Dollard and Miller (1950)• Hungary baby feels discomfort = crying =

caregiver aims to reduce discomfort = feeds• Baby is fed = reduces discomfort = stops crying• Food = primary reinforcer because it reinforces

the behaviour (crying) reduces discomfort• The person who reduces discomfort = secondary

reinforcer• Attachment (or bond) occurs when the baby

seeks a person to provide food = person reciprocates