Lecture Notes on Attachment Theories

Overview of Attachment

• Strong bond between an infant and their primary caregiver
• Often explained as an innate or learned behavior

Biological Perspective

• Attachment bond is innate
• Babies are primed to attach to mother figures
• Caregivers have an innate response to care for infants

Behaviorist Perspective

• Attachment is about basic needs like food
• Infants love their caregivers because they provide food
• Crying is a method for infants to get attention and food

Comparison of Theories

• Biological vs. Behaviorist perspectives on attachment
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Learning Theory and Cupboard Love

• Explanation of attachment through learning theory
• Classical Conditioning:
  • Association of caregiver (initially neutral) with food (unconditioned stimulus) leading to pleasure (unconditioned response)
  • Caregiver becomes conditioned stimulus producing pleasure (conditioned response)
• Operant Conditioning:
  • Positive and negative reinforcement of behaviors
  • Crying leads to provision of food (positive reinforcement)
  • Removal of crying by providing care (negative reinforcement)

Drives in Attachment

• Primary Drives: Instinctual needs like hunger and thirst
• Secondary Drives: Learned desires, e.g., attachment to satisfy hunger

Evaluations of Learning Theory

• Seen as environmentally reductionist
• Supported by experiments like Pavlov's and Skinner's
• Criticism: Oversimplifies attachment and neglects parental emotions
• Harlow's research suggests comfort is more important than food

Alternative Theories

• Bowlby’s Monotropic Theory as a biological explanation
• Suggests instinctual drive for close relationships
• Aligns with evolutionary perspective

Bowlby’s Monotropic Theory

• Infants form strong bonds with primary caregivers (monotropy)
• Believed bond is crucial for survival
• Innate behaviors like crying and smiling as social releasers
• Influenced by Lorenz’s imprinting and Harlow’s research on monkeys
• Critical period of attachment (first 30 months)
• Internal working model: Blueprint for future relationships

Evaluations of Bowlby’s Theory

• Influenced by animal studies but caution needed when generalizing to humans
• Criticized for gender biases and deterministic views
• Highlights importance of early child care practices
• Alternative theories challenge its perspectives

Conclusion and Resources

• Acknowledgments to Patreon supporters
• Additional resources available for patrons

• Note: These are study notes summarizing a lecture on attachment theories in psychology, focusing on behaviorist and biological perspectives, and evaluating key theories and experiments.