Animal studies Flashcards
Lorenz’s procedure - imprinting
Classic experiment and randomly divided large clutch of goose eggs
Half the eggs were hatched with mother goose in natural environment and other in incubator where the first moving object was Lorenz
Lorenz’s findings
- Incubator group followed Lorenz everywhere
- Control group followed mother - even when mixed
Lorenz’s conclusion
Identified critical period in which imprinting needs to take place - can be brief as few hours after birth and if it doesn’t occur, won’t attach to mother
Lorenz’s sexual imprinting
Peacock reared in the reptile house of zoo where the first moving object it saw after hatching were giant tortoises - as an adult would only direct courtship towards them - t/f undergone sexual imprinting
Strength of Lorenz’s research
Regolin and Vallortigara studied chicks which were exposed to shape combinations that moved
Followed original shape combination most closely
Limitation of Lorenz’s research
Lacks generalisability to humans - in mammals it’s a 2 way process so mothers show emotional attachment as well
Inappropriate to generalised Lorenz’s ideas
Harlow’s procedure
Reared 16 baby monkeys with two wire model mothers, one plain wire and one cloth covered
1 condition - milk dispensed by plain
2 condition - mild dispensed by cloth
Harlow’s findings
Cuddled + sought comfort from cloth covered when frightened regardless of which dispensed milk
‘Contact comfort’ more important than food
Harlow - maternal deprivation
Monkeys reared with plain wire were most dysfunctional, did not develop normal social behaviour, more aggressive
Unskilled at mating, some attacked children - sometimes killing
Harlow’s conclusion
Critical period for attachment formation - had to be introduced within 90 days
If not damage of early deprivation is irreversible
Strengths of Harlow’s research
Helped social workers and clinical psychologists understand risks of lack of bonding experience
Understand importance of attachment figures e.g. adoption/babies in care
Limitation of Harlow’s research
Unable to generalise findings and conclusions to humans
Rhesus monkeys more similar than birds but human brain + behaviour is more complex
