Does Infantile Attachment Require Intrinsic Reward?

Xi Jia Zhou, Logan Cross, Wanqiao Xu, Nick Haber

Track: Tiny paper track

Keywords: reinforcement learning, intrinsic motivation, attachment, child development

TL;DR: Using reinforcement learning in a simple environment to explore whether infant attachment behaviors require intrinsic rewards for staying close to the caregiver or external rewards suffice.

Abstract: Infant attachment behaviors, essential for cognitive and social development, are debated in terms of their origins—whether they arise from intrinsic drives or external reinforcement. This study uses a reinforcement learning (RL) framework to examine if infant attachment behaviors can be replicated in a simulated 1D grid world environment. Two groups of simulated infants were modeled: one with intrinsic rewards for staying close to a caregiver, and another relying solely on extrinsic rewards from both the caregiver and the environment. Preliminary results show that external reinforcement can generate infant-like attachment behaviors, though adding intrinsic attachment rewards made some overall infant behaviors more realistic while distorting subgroup patterns. These findings highlight the complex interaction between intrinsic and extrinsic factors in shaping attachment behaviors, suggesting more work is required to understand how they combine to reflect real-world patterns.

Submission Number: 42