Explanations of attachment:

Learning Theory

LO:

To be able to describe how learning theory explains the development

of attachment.
To apply understanding to scenarios
To use key terms correctly
Learning theories

Dollard and Miler (1950) argue that

care-giver infant attachment can be
explained by learning theory.
These theories state that an infant and
caregiver LEARN to form an
attachment. It is not innate or
instinctive. It is learned just like any
other behaviour.
This theory is sometimes referred to as
‘cupboard love’
What do you think this means?
Learning Theory - Background
• Learning theories of attachment claim that children will attach
to whoever feeds them
Classical Conditioning & Attachment

Let’s imagine the following:

Pavlov’s dog is The bell is now The dog food is
now a baby (it the mother now milk
can feel
happiness)
TASK
Draw out a classical
conditioning schedule using
the stimuli of
Mother
Milk

And the response of

happiness
1. Before conditioning 2. Before conditioning
Happy baby –
relieved from
hunger

Unconditioned Unconditioned
stimulus response Neutral No response
stimulus
3. During conditioning 3. After conditioning

Unconditioned
Unconditioned Conditioned
stimulus
response Conditioned response
Neutral
stimulus stimulus
According to learning theory, this
conditioned happiness response is love –
an attachment has been formed and the
caregiver has become the attachment figure
Operant conditioning

Key: If a behaviour produces a pleasant consequence, it will be repeated as it has been reinforced.

OC can explain why babies cry for comfort (which is an important behaviour in building an attachment).

Crying leads to a response from the caregiver i.e baby will get fed. As long as the caregiver provides
the correct response (what the baby actually wants) then the crying has been reinforced.

The baby then directs crying for comfort towards this caregiver who will respond with comforting and
calming behaviour.

This reinforcement is a two-way process. Baby is positively reinforced for crying (so will continue to
do so) and caregiver is negatively reinforced as the crying stops! This mutual reinforcement helps to
build an attachment
Drive reduction theory
Learning theory also uses drive reduction theory to help explain attachment

Hunger is a primary drive for a baby - this means it is an innate, biological motivator.
We are motivated to eat to avoid unpleasant feelings of hunger.

Sears (1957) suggested that as caregivers provide food, the primary drive of hunger
becomes generalised to them. This means attachment is a secondary drive learned
simply due to associating the caregiver with the satisfaction of their primary drive.
Operant conditioning in summary:
• food satisfies hunger and makes child feel comfortable again (drive
reduction theory).

• Behaviour which is rewarded by food is repeated and food becomes the

primary reinforcer (i.e. the baby will cry as it got rewarded for it with
food which is what it really wants). The person supplying the food
becomes a secondary reinforcer- this means they become able to
cause the same feelings of reward that food does (as they are the
source of the reward).

• Attachment occurs because child associates the person who provides

the food with the rewards and seeks them out.
 Task: rearrange this statements into the
Operant conditioning correct order to show how operant
conditioning explains how attachments form
1. Baby will learn that continuing to cry they will be rewarded again
2. Baby will then cry to be rewarded in some way.
3. When an infant is hungry and cold (discomfort), the infant creates a
drive/desire to reduce that discomfort.
4. The person supplying the food and warmth (usually the mother)
becomes associated with the food and warmth and acts as
a secondary reinforcer.
5. The attachment occurs because the child wants the person who they
have associated with food and warmth.
6. Caregiver will provide them with food (primary reinforcer) – reducing
the drive (negative reinforcement)