What is one criticism of the learning theory explanation of attachment 4 marks?

Another critique of the learning theory is its overemphasis on the role of food in attachment. Conflicting evidence, such as Harlow's study, argues that comfort might play a more significant role than food in attachment formation.

What is the learning theory explanation of attachment 4 marks?

The learning theory of attachment is a behaviourist explanation that suggests that attachments develop through classical and/or operant conditioning. It is sometimes referred to as a cupboard love theory, as the infant attaches to the caregiver who provides the food.

How is the learning theory of attachment reductionist?

However, this theory is reductionist as it focuses on basic processes rather than complex emotional mechanisms which may play a role in infant attachment. In conjunction to this, the theory is mostly founded on animal research and therefore cannot be fully generalised to human behaviour.

What is the learning theory of attachment negative reinforcement?

The secondary drive hypothesis states that attachment is a two-way process in which both the child and caregiver must learn. Negative reinforcement is the reason behind the occurrence as the caregiver feels pressured to comfort the infant, with hopes of reducing his/her distress.

What is the strength of learning theory as an explanation for attachment?

Some strengths of learning theory explanations of attachment include their ability to provide a clear and testable explanation for attachment and their emphasis on the role of environmental factors in shaping attachment.

A-Level Psychology (AQA): The Learning Theory of Attachment

What is one criticism of the learning theory explanation of attachment?

Another critique of the learning theory is its overemphasis on the role of food in attachment. Conflicting evidence, such as Harlow's study, argues that comfort might play a more significant role than food in attachment formation.

What is the strength and weakness of attachment?

Because of its focus on providing care for children, attachment theory can also have a positive impact on the health and well-being of vulnerable children. However, attachment theory is weak in that little to no weight is given to an individual's socioeconomic or cultural context.

What are the two major criticisms of attachment theory?

Critics contend that assuming an infant must form a single bond is damaging to the relationship between infants and other potential caregivers in their life. Others take issue with the idea that unless the attachment is formed by age two, a person is doomed to have an insecure attachment style forever.

What are the disadvantages of attachment theory?

A serious limitation of attachment theory is its failure to recognize the profound influences of social class, gender, ethnicity, and culture on personality development. These factors, independent of a mother's sensitivity, can be as significant as the quality of the early attachment.

What are the negative effects of attachment theory?

Babies and young children who have attachment issues may be more likely to develop behavioural problems such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or conduct disorder (Fearon et al, 2010)¹⁴. Children who have attachment issues can have difficulty forming healthy relationships when they grow up.

What is learning theory of attachment example?

Behaviourist learning theory of attachment

An example of this is that when a baby is hungry they will usually cry and feel discomfort and their mother is likely to comfort them. In future cases when the baby experiences these negative feelings they will continue to seek their mother to fulfil their needs.

Is attachment theory correct?

Attachment theory has been significantly modified as a result of empirical research, but the concepts have become generally accepted.

Why did Bowlby reject learning theory as an explanation of attachment?

He rejected learning theory as an explanation for attachment because "were it true, an infant of a year or two should take readily to whomever feeds him and this is clearly not the case" (1988).

What is the attachment theory easily explained?

attachment theory, in developmental psychology, the theory that humans are born with a need to form a close emotional bond with a caregiver and that such a bond will develop during the first six months of a child's life if the caregiver is appropriately responsive.

What are the key points of attachment theory?

There are three major functions of attachment relationships—to promote proximity seeking, provide a safe haven, and offer a secure base—all of which facilitate self-regulation and emotion regulation.

What is the learning theory of attachment and Bowlby?

This theory proposes that the emotional and social development of an infant is profoundly shaped by their relationship with their primary caregivers. Bowlby's theory is rooted in the belief that infants are biologically wired to form attachments, a mechanism that serves as a survival strategy.

Which is a criticism of attachment theory quizlet?

Which of the following are criticisms of the attachment theory? It does not account for temperamental differences in infants. The attachment relationship might be a product of shared genes between parent and child.

What are the criticism of attachment parenting?

Critics of attachment parenting claim that constant attention to a child's every mood and tantrum can lead to overdependent children and highly stressed parents. Or worse, kids learn to control and bully their well-meaning parents.

What is the problem of attachment?

What Are Attachment Issues? An attachment disorder is a condition that affects mood or behavior and makes it difficult for people to form and maintain relationships with others. These conditions usually begin in early childhood, but attachment issues may also persist into adulthood.

What is the criticism of Bowlby's attachment theory?

Bowlby's (1969) attachment theory was heavily criticised as being “mechanistic, non-dynamic and explicated according to misunderstandings of psychoanalytic theory” (Fonagy, 2001, p. 1) by the psychoanalytic community, and for many years Bowlby was an isolated figure in psychoanalysis.

What is a criticism of the strange situation and attachment theory?

Mary Ainsworth concluded that the strange situation could be used to identify the child's type of attachment but has been criticized because it identifies only the type of attachment to the mother. The child may have a different type of attachment to the father or grandmother, for example (Lamb, 1977).

Is attachment theory overrated?

But claims about the predictive power of attachment appear to have the ability to short-circuit people's basic common sense, let alone their desire for critical evaluation. The fact is that there's no strong evidence for parent–child attachment in infancy predicting anything much about children's later development.

Why is attachment negative?

We tend to think of attachment as positive, based on love, caring, compassion, trust, support. Indeed, most start out that way. But the stronger attachments tend to be negative – those that have gradually devolved into chronic resentment, anger, blame, and criticism, driven by fear of abandonment.

What are the positive and negative effects of attachment?

When children have a secure attachment with their parent/carer, it is an important protective factor for their mental health, while insecure attachments can be a risk factor for the development of emotional and behaviour problems.

What is the most serious form of attachment problems?

Reactive attachment disorder (RAD) and disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED) are two primary attachment disorders. These conditions can have significant impacts on children's lives. These disorders can significantly impact an individual's emotional development and ability to form healthy relationships.