Animal studies (Lorenz and Harlow) Flashcards

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1
Q

Lorenz was an ethologist. What is an ethologist?

A

Someone who studies non-human animals from an evolutionary perspective.

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2
Q

Describe Lorenz’s procedure.

A

-Divided a clutch of gosling eggs.

-Control group= half were left with their mother (natural environment).

-Experimental group= half placed in an incubator and saw Lorenz first.

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3
Q

What is ‘imprinting’?

A

A behaviour pattern of recognition and attraction towards its own kind.

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4
Q

What did Lorenz find about the experimental group?

A

They followed Lorenz and appeared to have formed an attachment with him.

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5
Q

What did Lorenz find about the Control group?

A

They followed their mother.

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6
Q

What happened when Lorenz put the two groups together?

A

The two groups separated. Half to their mother, half to Lorenz.

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7
Q

What was the ‘critical period’ that Lorenz identified?

A

12-24 hours.
A critical period when imprinting needed to have taken place.

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8
Q

Give an advantage of Lorenz’s research.

A

+Supporting evidence from Guiton.
Guiton exposed chicks to yellow rubber gloves, they became imprinted on the glove.
This supports the view that young animals will imprint on any moving object that is present during the critical window of development.

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9
Q

Give a disadvantage of Lorenz’s research.

A

-Many psychologists disagree that imprinting is irreversible and has long term effects.
In Guitons research, when the chickens matured and after spending time with their own species, they engaged in normal mating behaviour.
This illustrates that imprinting is and can be reversed like many other forms of learning.

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10
Q

What was Harlow’s aim?

A

To demonstrate that attachment was not based on a feeding bond.

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11
Q

What were the two conditions Harlow used?

A

Condition 1= Cloth mother provided milk and the wire monkey didn’t.

Condition 2= Wire monkey provided milk and the cloth monkey didn’t.

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12
Q

How long were the monkeys studies for?

A

165 days

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13
Q

What did Harlow record?

A

How long the monkeys clung to each mother.

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14
Q

What did Harlow find?

A

The monkeys spent most time with the cloth mother, with and without the feeding bottle.

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15
Q

What happened when the monkeys were frightened?

A

They clung to the cloth mother.

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16
Q

How did the monkeys develop into adulthood?

A

Abnormally (aggressive and less sociable)

17
Q

What was the critical period that Harlow identified?

A

90 days

18
Q

What happened after the critical period that Harlow identified?

A

Attachment was impossible for the monkeys.

19
Q

What did Harlow conclude?

A

Attachment does not develop as a result of being fed by a mother but as a result of contact comfort.

20
Q

Give an advantage of Harlow’s research.

A

+Led to important real life applications with both humans and animals.
Helped social workers understand the risk factors in child neglect and abuse, can prevent it.
Also important in the care of captive monkeys, therefore illustrates how Harlow’s research has practical value.

21
Q

Give a disadvantage of Harlow’s research.

A

-Raised a number of ethical issues.
It created stress to the young animals after being separated from their mothers. It also created long term emotional harm, and found it hard to form relationships as adults.

However, can be justified in terms of the significant effect they had on our understanding of the process of attachment in humans and that time.