The learning theory proposes that attachment is learned through classical conditioning. It suggests that infants become attached to their caregiver because they learn that the caregiver will meet their needs like food. However, there are some weaknesses with this theory. Studies by Shaffer and Emerson found that 39% of babies attached to those who played with them, not the person who fed them. Research by Harlow also showed that baby monkeys preferred a surrogate mother that comforted them over one that just provided food. This indicates that attachment may not be solely based on learning who meets physiological needs.

1. Attachment
Use all of the key words below to create a
definition of attachment
Emotional
Protecting
Definition:
•An emotional bond between 2 people
Endures
bond
•2 way process that endures over time
•Serves the function of protecting the child
2 people
child

2. Objectives
Define the term attachment
Identify key words associated with the
Learning Theory of attachment
Provide basic evaluation for the Learning
Theory
Apply exam board assessment objectives
to stimulus material
Write an exam style answer for the
Learning Theory of attachment

3. Explanations of Attachment
You need to know 2 explanations of
attachment
Learning Theory
Bowlby’s Theory
Attachment is
learned
Attachment is
innate

4. A01
The Learning Theory –
Miller & Dollard
Everyone
is born as
a blank
slate
Behaviour is learned and
therefore nurture rather than
nature
Association
Classical
conditioning
Infant becomes
attached because they
‘learn’ that the caregiver
will meet their
physiological needs
(food)

5. A01
Classical Conditioning
Learning
through
association
Babies love food –
FACT
The learning theory
suggests they will love
their feeder as well…
Babies learn to associate the person who feeds them
with the pleasure of being fed
Ivan Pavlov was the first Psychologist to describe learning
through classical conditioning.
All behaviour is learnt through association

6. A01
Pavlov’s Dogs
(You need to be aware of the theory,
not exactly how Pavlov trained his dogs!)
BEFORE CONDITIONING...
Unconditioned stimulus
(UCS)
produces
Unconditioned response
(UCR)
DURING CONDITIONING...
Unconditioned stimulus
(UCS)
Neutral stimulus
(NS)
Unconditioned response
(UCR)
AFTER CONDITIONING...
Conditioned stimulus
(CS)
produces
Conditioned response
(CR)

7. A01
Attachment through
classical conditioning
BEFORE CONDITIONING...
Unconditioned stimulus
(UCS)
e.g. Food
produces
Unconditioned response
(UCR)
e.g. Pleasure
DURING CONDITIONING...
Unconditioned stimulus
(UCS)
e.g. Food
Neutral stimulus
(NS)
e.g. Caregiver
Unconditioned response
(UCR)
e.g. Pleasure
AFTER CONDITIONING...
Conditioned stimulus
(CS)
e.g. Caregiver
produces
Conditioned response
(CR)
e.g. Pleasure

8. Learning Theory – Evaluation
(top and tail)
e.g. Watson & Raynor
conditioned Little Albert
to have a phobia of fluffy
animals and toys through
classical conditioning
e.g. Harlow found that rhesus
monkeys who were separated
from their mothers after birth
and were placed in a cage with
‘wire’ mothers went to the
‘mother’ who offered comfort
rather then food
e.g. Shaffer & Emerson found
that the first attachments
formed by 39% of babies
were not to the person
who fed and changed them
– they attached to those
who played with them
e.g. Lorenz found that newly
hatched goose (after seeing
Lorenz shortly after hatching)
following him everywhere and
he became their ‘imprinted
parent’

9. A02
Learning Theory – Evaluation
Positive
Adequate
Explanation
e.g. Watson &
Raynor
Strength because it shows that other behaviours
(e.g. phobias) are learned through association
and so it’s entirely plausible that children learn
to attach also.

10. A02
Learning Theory – Evaluation
Negative
Shaffer &
Emerson
(1964)
Goes against the
LT idea that
children will
attached only
because of
food
Found that the first
attachments formed
by 39% of babies
were not to the
person who fed and
changed them – they
attached to those
who played with them

11. A02
Learning Theory – Evaluation
Negative
Found that rhesus
monkeys who were
Harlow (1959)
There is a separated from their
HUGE
problem with after birth and
mothers
were placed
Harlow’s research – in a cage
with ‘wire’ mothers went
What is it?
Suggests that
to the ‘mother’ who
food is not
offered comfort rather
always the
then food
main drive
of
attachment

12. A02
Learning Theory – Evaluation
Negative
Lorenz (1952)
Indicates that
attachment might
be immediate and
innate as the geese
will have been too
young to have
learned any
responses
Lorenz found that newly
hatched goose (after
seeing Lorenz shortly
after hatching) following
him everywhere and he
became their ‘imprinted
parent’

13. Exam style questions
Have a go at answering the following
question –
Why? So you know how to answer in the
exam!
1. Outline the behavioural explanation of
attachment formation.
(4 marks)

14. Exam style questions
Have a go at marking the following question –
Why? So you can view the answer from the examiners perspective!
2. Outline two weaknesses of the learning theory explanation of
attachment.
(2 + 2 marks)
One weakness of the learning theory of attachment is that it doesn’t
explain why babies attached to people who do not feed them. For
example, Shaffer and Emerson found that 39% of babies attached
with those who played with them and not who fed them. This is a
weakness because it demonstrates that food is not the only reason
that babies will form an attachment, going against the learning
theory.
A second point is that the theory makes sense. For example, we learn
lots of behaviours through association so it makes sense that
children might learn to attach. This is a strength as it adds validity
to the learning theory explanation of attachment
2
0

15. Key words
In pairs write at least 15 key
words that link to the Learning
Theory of Attachment
Glossary
• Attachment – A 2 way emotional bond between 2 people that endures
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Learning Theory – Attachment is learned (Miller & Dollard)
Classical conditioning – Learning through association
UCS – Unconditioned stimulus
NS – Neutral stimulus
UCR – Unconditioned response
CR – Conditioned response
CS – Conditioned stimulus
Harlow – Monkeys given ‘wire mothers’
Lorenz – Geese (imprinting theory)
Shaffer & Emerson – 39% don’t attach to person who feeds

16. Objectives
Define the term attachment
Identify key words associated with the
Learning Theory of attachment
Provide basic evaluation for the Learning
Theory
Apply exam board assessment objectives
to stimulus material
Write an exam style answer for the
Learning Theory of attachment

18. e.g. Little Albert was
conditioned to have a
phobia of fluffy
animals and toys
through classical
conditioning

19. e.g. Harlow found that rhesus
monkey who were separated
from their mothers after
birth and were placed in a
cage with ‘wire’ mothers went
to the ‘mother’ who offered
comfort rather then food

20. e.g. Shaffer & Emerson found
that the first attachments
formed by 39% of babies
were not to the person who
fed and changed them –
they attached to those who
played with them

21. e.g. Lorenz found that newly
hatched goose (after seeing
Lorenz shortly after
hatching) following him
everywhere and he became
their ‘imprinted parent’

22. Exam style questions
Have a go at marking the following question –
Why? So you can view the answer from the examiners perspective!
2. Outline two weaknesses of the learning theory explanation of
attachment.
(2 + 2 marks)
One weakness of the learning theory of attachment is that it doesn’t
explain why babies attached to people who do not feed them. For
example, Shaffer and Emerson found that 39% of babies attached
with those who played with them and not who fed them. This is a
weakness because it demonstrates that food is not the only reason
that babies will form an attachment, going against the learning
theory.
A second point is that the theory makes sense. For example, we learn
lots of behaviours through association so it makes sense that
children might learn to attach. This is a strength as it adds validity
to the learning theory explanation of attachment