Dollard and Miller (1950) proposed that attachment can
be described by learning theory. Children love whoever
feeds them.
Operant Conditioning
Learning from consequence of behaviour. If a behaviour produces an
unpleasant consequence, less likely to be repeated. It is a reinforcement, if
a baby cries it is more likely to receive comfort, so repeats this.
Reinforcement is a two way process. Baby is
reinforced for crying but caregiver receives negative
reinforcement because crying stops.
Classical Conditioning
Learning to associate two stimuli together. An unconditioned
stimulus (e.g. food) comes in contact with a neutral stimulus
(caregiver). Over time as caregiver provides food, baby learns to
associate them with food. Caregiver becomes a conditioned stimulus
and produces a conditioned response, pleasure of eating.
Evaluation
Strengths:
Elements of conditioning involved in attachments. Baby
may associate feeling of warmth with particular adult so
may influence their choice of particular attachment.
Weaknesses:
Lack of support from human studies.
Schaffer and Emerson found that
babies form main attachment to
mother regardless of who fed them.
Lack of support from
animal studies. Factors
other than food associated
involved in attachment.
As caregivers provide food, primary drive of hunger
associated with them and attachment becomes a
secondary drive associated between caregiver and
satisfaction of primary drive.