Animal Studies of Attachment Flashcards
Ethology
The study of animal behaviour
Imprinting
An inanimate readiness to develop a bond with a mother. Usually happens in the first few hours after birth.
Sexual imprinting
The idea that imprinting can affect adult male preferences
What was the procedure of Lorenz’s (1935) experiment?
-Goose eggs random,y divided by Lorenzo
-Half hatched with mother (natural environment)
-Half hatched in an incubator with Lorenz present
-Dependent variable is that the behaviour of all gosling were recorded (who they followed when 2 groups mixed)
What were the results of Lorenz’s (1953) experiment?
-incubator group follows Lorenz everywhere
-control group hatchway in presence of mother and followed her
-all stayed the same when 2 groups mixed and both Lorenz and mother present
What was the sample in Harlows (1959) research into animal attachment?
Rhesus monkeys and studied them for 165 days.
What were the 2 ‘mothers’ used in Harlows (1959) research into animal attachment study?
A wire one and a cloth-covered one. The milk bottle was on the wired mother
What measurements were made in Harlows (1959) research into animal attachment study?
The amount of time each infants spent with the 2 different mothers.
Observations made of the infants responses when frightened by a Mechanical teddy bear
What were the results of Harlows (1959) research into animal attachment study?
-infant cuddled and spent most time with the cloth covered mother
-monkeys fed from wired mother spent little time getting milk and went straight back to cloth mother.
-sort comfort from the cloth when frightened and playing with new object kept one foot from cloth mother for reassurance
What do the findings in Harlows (1959) research into animal attachment study suggest?
Infants do not develop an attachment to the person who feeds them but the person offering contact comfort.
What can be concluded from Harlows (1959) research into animal attachment study?
There was a critical period for this behaviour. A mother figure has to be introduced to an infant monkey within 90 days for an attachment to form. After this time attachment was impossible and damage was irreversible.
What were the long-lasting effects of Harlows (1959) research into animal attachment study?
He studied the monkeys deprived from a real mother into adulthood. To see if maternal deprivation had a permanent effect. They were socially abnormal (froze when approached by other monkeys) and sexually abnormal (mated less)
