animal studies Flashcards
what process did Lorenz identify
imprinting
what is imprinting
when a strong social attachment that is formed by an infant very quickly- usually takes place in animals that are mobile which are able to imprint on any available organism and follow from birth
Lorenz findings
strongest likelihood to imprint is between 13-16 hours after the ducklings
the person or object they imprint on becomes ‘irreversible’
what happened in study
Lorenz showed that this imprinting process was not strictly limited to the biological mother. Goslings could imprint on other moving objects, including Lorenz himself.
Lorenz famously demonstrated this by acting as the first moving object the goslings saw after hatching. The goslings then imprinted on him and followed him around as if he were their mother. His goslings followed him everywhere and became stressed if they were separated from them
when must imprinting occur in goslings
36hrs
what two types of mothers were there in harlows monkey experiment
wired mother that provided food for the monkey
cloth mother
how long did the monkeys spend with each mother in the day
22h with cloth
2h with wired
what happened when the monkeys were scared
always seek comfort from the cloth mother
what conclusion did this lead to
contact comfort is more important than food in the development and nurturing of attachments
what is the serious ethical issue
the monkeys grew up unable to socialise, aggressive towards their own children
displayed abnormal social behaviour
what do the ethical issues tell us
the importance of having a secure base of attachment to a primary caregiver is
this means zoos should be making sure animals have the opportunity to make/ maintain their pcg (real life appliation)
evaluation of lorenz- limitations (2)
limited value in attempting to understand the effects of deprivation on human infants.
Lorenz observed and provoked aggressive behavior in geese to understand their social dynamics. This approach raises ethical concerns about subjecting animals to potentially harmful or distressing situations.
evaluation of lorenz- strengths (1)
highlighted the existence of critical periods during which imprinting occurs. This concept has broader implications for understanding the early development of behaviour in animals and humans.
evaluation of harlow- strengths (2)
demonstrated the critical role of social interaction, comfort, and affection in the development of normal behavior and emotional well-being.
challenged beliefs of the time regarding food being the main reason for an attachment formation- challenged classical conditioning
evaluation of harlow- limitations (2)
the monkeys grew up unable to socialise, aggressive towards their own children
displayed abnormal social behaviour
subjected to maternal deprivation and social isolation
