Developmental Psychology
05 Evaluating Bowlby and Learning Theory
Attachment Crossword
 Task: Complete the ‘attachment crossword’ to help you revise the
key terms from Bowlby’s Theory and Learning Theory.
5 minutes
Learning Theory vs. Bowlby
 Today’s objectives:
 To apply key research to Learning Theory and Bowlby’s Theory
and use this research to evaluate these two theories of
attachment.
Vs.
Evaluating Bowlby and Learning Theory
In today’s lesson you will use 3 studies to evaluate both Bowlby’s Theory and
Learning Theory. Some studies can be used to support/refute both theories and
therefore it is essential you know how these studies apply to BOTH theories…
 Learning Theory
 Bowlby’s Theory
 Harlow & Harlow (1962)
 Weakness
 Harlow & Harlow (1962)
 Weakness
 Lorenz (1952)
 Weakness
 Lorenz (1952)
 Strength
 Rutter et al. (1998)
 Strength
 Rutter et al. (1998)
 Weakness
Harlow & Harlow (1962)
 Task 1: Read the Harlow & Harlow (1962) experiment and write a
short summary – less than 100 summarising this experiment.
 Task 2: In groups, use 2 mini-whiteboards. Write ‘Learning
Theory’ at the top of one and ‘Bowlby’s Theory’ on the other.
Then answer the following questions…
 Does Harlow & Harlow (1962) support/refute this theory?
 Why?
Now, lets try to write 2 burger paragraphs together…
What is your evaluation point: One weakness comes from a study by Harlow &
Harlow (1962).
They found that…baby monkeys spent
more time with a soft towelling monkey (18
hours a day) in comparison to a wire
monkey (1 hour a day) which provided
food. In addition, when the baby monkey
was frightened, it would run to the soft
towelling monkey and not the wire
monkey.
Harlow & Harlow (1962)
Evaluating Learning Theory
This refutes (goes against) the learning
theory of attachment because…according
to Classical Conditioning, children form
attachments with their caregivers because
they make an association between their
caregiver and being relived from hunger.
This is a weakness because…Harlow & Harlow found that baby monkeys form
attachments for comfort and not food, as stated in the classical conditioning
theory.
What is your evaluation point: One weakness comes from a study by Harlow &
Harlow (1962).
Harlow & Harlow (1962)
Evaluating Bowlby’s Theory
They found that…baby monkeys spent
more time with a soft towelling monkey (18
hours a day) in comparison to a wire
monkey (1 hour a day) which provided food.
In addition, when the baby monkey was
frightened, it would run to the soft
towelling monkey and not the wire monkey.
This refutes Bowlby’s theory of attachment
because…Bowlby argues that we form
attachments for adaptive (survival) reasons
and in Harlow & Harlow’s research they
found the baby monkey would ‘attach’ to
the soft towelling monkey.
This is a strength/weakness because…the monkey would attach to the soft
towelling monkey which would provide no survival benefit and not the wire
monkey (which did provide food) posing a problem for Bowlby.
Evaluation…
 Task: In a group of 4, assign one person to each of the following
experiments
 Lorenz (1952) – Weakness of Learning Theory
 Lorenz (1952) – Strength of Bowlby’s Theory
 Rutter et al. (1998) – Strength of Learning Theory
 Rutter et al. (1998) – Weakness of Learning Theory
 Task 1: On your own, read the experiment and write your own
summary of the study in less than 100 words. Then write a
‘Burger Paragraph’ explaining why your study is a strength or
weakness of learning theory.
 Task 2: In your groups, take turns in explaining your study and
Burger Paragraph to the rest of the group.
Essays for Attachment…
 Outline and evaluate an evolutionary explanation of attachment.
(12 marks).
 Outline and evaluate a learning theory of attachment (12 marks).
Task: You have 10 minutes to plan both essays and then you will
have 24 minutes to write them.
What is your evaluation point: One strength/weakness comes from…
They found that…
Harlow & Harlow (1962)
Evaluating Learning Theory
This supports/refutes [Insert Name] theory
because…
This is a strength/weakness because…
What is your evaluation point: One strength/weakness comes from…
They found that…
Harlow & Harlow (1962)
Evaluating Bowlby’s Theory
This supports/refutes [Insert Name] theory
because…
This is a strength/weakness because…