Animal Studies

Question 1

What is ‘Imprinting’?

Answer 1

Goslings follow whatever is the first large moving thing they see, Lorenz found this with geese.

Question 2

What is ‘Sexual Imprinting’?

Answer 2

The first bond (imprinting) affects mating preferences in later life. Lorenz found this with geese.

Question 3

Critical Period (Animals)

Answer 3

A key window of time in which the initial bond formed has long term impact on animals future. In geese if they didn’t imprint in the first few hours they never would (Lorenz). In monkeys, the critical period was 90 days. Monkeys were affected socially and emotionally if they missed this period or
their bond was disrupted within it (Harlow)

Question 4

What is ‘Contact Comfort’?

Answer 4

Infant monkeys preferred cloth covered surrogate wire monkeys to wire monkeys that provided milk. Harlow said it was because they provided
comfort.