Animal Studies - Attachment

Question 1

Lorenz’s Research (1935)
Procedure

Answer 1

Lorenz split a clutch of goose eggs into two groups. One group hatched with biological mother (control group), other group first saw Lorenz (experimental group). To test imprinting, Lorenz marked each group and observed behaviour.

Question 2

Lorenz’s Research (1935)
Findings

Answer 2

Experimental group followed Lorenz, showed no recognition of natural mother.
Imprinting occurs within critical period after hatching, goslings form an attachment to the first moving object they see (innate and irreversible).Not common in human infants, no critical period.

Question 3

Lorenz’s Research (1935)
Long-lasting Effects

Answer 3

Imprinting affected later mate preferences (sexual imprinting), with animals showing preference for objects resembling the one they imprinted on.

Question 4

Harlow’s Research (1959)
Procedure

Answer 4

Harlow raised infant monkeys with two surrogate “mothers”:
Cloth mother/comfort/no food.
Wire mother/food/no comfort.
Monkeys observed over 165 days, measure time spent with each mother/responses to stress, such as when exposed to frightening objects.

Question 5

Harlow’s Research (1959)
Findings

Answer 5

Monkeys spent most time with the cloth mother, especially stressful situations, attachment to comfort over food.
Monkeys with access only to wire mother showed signs of distress and returned to the cloth mother when given option.

Question 6

Harlow’s Research (1959)
Long-lasting Effects

Answer 6

Monkeys raised without a comforting mother displayed social deficits: socially abnormal, avoided interaction, showed aggression.
When these monkeys became parents, they were neglectful or abusive toward their offspring.
Findings highlight a critical period for social development. Monkeys deprived of maternal comfort did not recover fully, indicating the long-term impact of early attachment experiences.