1. RECAP – Harlow’s monkeys
On your whiteboard… Write out the Aim: Procedure: Findings: Conclusion: Evaluation:

2. Specification 1
Caregiver-infant interactions in humans: reciprocity and interactional synchrony.
Stages of attachment identified by Schaffer
Multiple attachments and the role of the father. 2
Animal studies of attachment: Lorenz and Harlow 3
Explanations of attachment: learning theory and Bowlby’s monotropic theory.
The concepts of a critical period and an internal working model. 4
Ainsworth’s ‘Strange Situation’.
Types of attachment: secure, insecure-avoidant and insecure-resistant.
Cultural variations in attachment including van Ijzendoorn. 5
Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation.
Romanian orphan studies: effects of institutionalisation. 6
The influence of early attachment on childhood and adult relationships including the role of an internal working model.

3. Explanations of attachment Learning theory
Objectives:
To be able to use learning theory to explain attachments
To be able to apply classical and operant conditioning as an explanation of attachment

4. Two explanations of attachment That you need to know
Learning Theory – Conditioning
Bowlby’s Evolutionary Theory
Nurture
Nature
Your behaviour is based on how you were brought up by the people around you
Your behaviour is based on your biology. Your behaviour is a result of innate characteristics

5. RECAP Discuss with your partner… What is classical conditioning?
How could we apply it to attachment?

6. Classical Conditioning
Learning Theory – Classical Conditioning
When two things keep happening together, you start to think there is a link.
This is called association
Classical Conditioning
Classical conditioning occurs when a response produced naturally by a certain stimulus, becomes associated with another stimulus that is not normally associated with that particular response.

7. UCS
UCR NS
UCS
UCR CS CR

8. being paired with a caregiver (a conditioned stimulus).
Task:
Write a summary using the following sentences of how attachments form through CC.
being paired with a caregiver (a conditioned stimulus).
After several paired presentations of caregiver and food,
which produces a natural response of pleasure (an unconditioned response),
Attachments are learned by the stimulus of food (an unconditioned stimulus)
the infant learns to associate pleasure solely with caregiver without any need for food.

9. Learning Theory – Classical Conditioning
Attachments are learned by the stimulus of food (an unconditioned stimulus) which produces a natural response of pleasure (an unconditioned response), being paired with a caregiver (a conditioned stimulus).
After several paired presentations of caregiver and food, the infant learns to associate pleasure solely with caregiver without any need for food.

10. Operant Conditioning - RECAP
OC – learning to repeat a behaviour, or not, depending on its consequences.
If a behaviour produces a pleasant consequence, that behaviour is likely to be repeated again – it has been reinforced.
Unpleasant consequence - less likely to be repeated.

11. Operant Conditioning - RECAP
What happens when a baby cries? How does the caregiver react?

12. Operant Conditioning - RECAP

13. Crying is then reinforced if caregiver feeds or comforts infant.
Operant Conditioning
Operant
Conditioning
This is about reinforcements of behaviour (rewards)
Babies learn to form an attachment through rewards such as –
Care giving and Food
Crying is then reinforced if caregiver feeds or comforts infant.

14. Operant Conditioning Hungry infant feels discomfort
There is now a drive to reduce this discomfort
Food reduces the discomfort, fulfils the drive, and is a reward
Food is a primary reinforcer

15. Operant Conditioning
The person feeding the baby is associated with the reward
The baby seeks the primary caregiver as they are now a source of rewards

16. Operant Conditioning Two-way process
Baby is reinforced for crying, caregiver receives negative reinforcement because the crying stops
(escaping from something unpleasant is reinforcing)
Interplay of mutual reinforcement strengthens an attachment

17. Video Clip of Operant Conditioning
The Big Bang Theory example of rewarding positive behaviour

18. Task
Complete the gap fill on learning theory…

19. Answers

20. Evaluation of the Learning Theory
What studies do you already know that we can use?
And how?
Discuss in pairs

21. Does Harlow’s moneys support or refute learning theory?
Explain your answer.

22. Evaluation of the Learning Theory
Harlow and Harlow (1962)
took baby monkeys from their mothers and placed them in a cage with two replacement mothers.
One replacement mother was made of wire and provided milk
One replacement mother was covered with cloth. It provided comfort, but no milk
According to the learning theory, the monkeys should have preferred the wire mother because it provided food. However, they preferred the cloth mother – this falsifies the learning theory

23. Evaluation of the Learning Theory
Schaffer and Emerson (1964)
Research with human infants also shows that feeding does not appear to be an important factor in humans. Shaffer and Emerson’s study shows that many babies developed a primary attachment to their biological mother even though other carer did most of the feeding.
Why does this study go against the learning theory?
These findings are a problem for learning theory as they show that feeding is not the key element to attachment and so there is no unconditioned stimulus or primary drive involved.

24. PEEL the research!
P – There is empirical evidence which falsifies the learning theory.
E – Harlow and Harlow conducted a study…
E – This falsifies the learning theory because…
L – Therefore …

27. RECAP
Outline learning theory as an explanation for attachment (6 marks) Can you think of any limitations? Hint: classical/operant conditioning

28. Evaluation of the Learning Theory
P: learning theory ignores other factors associated with forming attachments
E: research into early infant-caregiver interactions suggests the quality of attachment is associated with factors like reciprocity and good levels of interactional synchrony
E: Furthermore, studies have shown that the best quality attachments are with sensitive carers that pick up infant signals and respond appropriately
L:these findings therefore refute the idea of ‘cupboard love’ as it suggests there is no purpose for these interactions

29. Exam Question
Briefly evaluate learning theory as an explanation of attachment. [4 marks]

30. Mark it Possible evaluation points:
Level
Marks
Description 2
3-4
Evaluation is relevant, well explained and focused on attachment, rather than generic criticism of learning theory. The answer is generally coherent with effective use of specialist terminology 1
1-2
Evaluation is relevant although there is limited explanation and/or limited focus on attachment. Specialist terminology is not always used appropriately. Award one mark for answers consisting of a single point briefly stated or muddled.
No relevant content
Possible evaluation points:
Strengths: plausible and scientific as founded in established theory, i.e. likely that association between provision of needs and the person providing those needs can lead to strong attachments; reinforcers clearly explained
Limitations: reductionist – the focus on basic processes (S-R links, reinforcement) too simplistic to explain complex attachment behaviours; environmentally deterministic such that early learning experiences determines later attachment behaviours; theory founded in animal research and problems of inferring on the basis of animal studies
Evidence used to support or refute the explanation: Schaffer and Emerson – more than half of infants were not attached to the person primarily involved in their physical care; Harlow – rhesus monkeys attach for contact comfort rather than food; sensitive responsiveness may be more influential in formed attachments (Ainsworth); infants are active seekers of stimulation, not passive responders (Schaffer)
Comparison with alternate explanations, e.g. Bowlby’s theory
Methodological evaluation of evidence must be linked to the explanation to gain credit

31. Discuss the Learning Theory as an explanation of attachment (12 marks)
Plan for the full essay
AO1 = 6
AO3 =
PEEL 1:
PEEL 2:
PEEL 3:
5 key terms for this essay are…
RED, GREEN, PURPLE essay plans available for this question

32. Learn both animal studies for assessment next week in class.
Homework
Learn both animal studies for assessment next week in class.

33. Plenary
On your whiteboards… Draw out how babies learn through classical conditioning…

34. Two explanations of attachment That you need to know
Learning Theory – Conditioning
Bowlby’s Evolutionary Theory
Nurture
Nature
Your behaviour is based on how you were brought up by the people around you
Your behaviour is based on your biology. Your behaviour is a result of innate characteristics - survival