Animal Studies : Attachment

Question 1

Outline the aim and method of Lorenz’s animal study.

Answer 1

Aim: to investigate the effects of imprinting on goslings
Method: field experiment

Question 2

Outlines the procedure of Lorenz’s animal study.

Answer 2

• randomly divided the goose eggs
• half hatched in an incubator where the first moving object they saw was lorenz (experimental group)
• other half hatched with mother in natural environment
• recorded behaviour of goslings (who they imprinted on)
• once the eggs hatched, he mixed up the goslings and saw who they went to
• varied time between birth and seeing a moving object so he could establish the critical period

Question 3

Outline the findings of Lorenz’s animal study, as well as the conclusion

Answer 3

Findings:
- incubator group that saw lorenz first imprinted on and followed him where the group who saw the mother goose first imprinted on and followed her
- critical period of 12-17 hours , if imprinting didn’t occur within , may never occur at all
- goslings who imprinted on humans tried to mate with humans (sexual imprinting)

Conclusion:
Goslings imprint on the first moving object they see. There is a specific time in which this needs to take place, otherwise they may never attach/imprint.