Describe and evaluate the learning theory explanation of attachment.
Attachment is a strong emotional bond between an infant and their caregiver. When an infant is attached to their primary caregiver (usually their mother) they show signs of distress when they are separated and pleasure when they are reunited. The leaning theory suggest that these attachments are learned and the learning is motivated through drives such as hunger. These kind of drives which are related to biological needs are known as primary needs. Learning can be due to associations being made (Classical conditioning) or behaviour can be altered by reinforcements or punishments (Operant conditioning).

Learning through association is called classical conditioning. It’s a learning process that occurs when two stimuli are repeatedly paired to the point where the response that happens from the unconditioned stimulus now happens when only the conditioned stimulus is present. This is because they have been associated. An example of this in attachment is between a baby and its other as they provide it with food when it’s hungry, getting rid of the hunger and instead making it happy. Eventually the mother then becomes associated with the satisfaction of the unconditioned stimulus (the food) and so becomes the conditioned stimulus. Meaning the baby shows signs of happiness when they are present even if the food is not.

Operant conditioning is the process of changing behavior by rewarding or punishing a subject each time an action is performed. For attachment the mother rewards the baby by feeding it, which removes the discomfort pf the hunger, reinforcing the behaviour that led to its arrival. After a while the baby then associates the mother with the food (the reward), making her secondary reinforce, and repeats the actions that brought her close, like crying.

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