Animal studies of attachment - Lorenz and Harlow

Question 1

What did Lorenz demonstrate?

Answer 1

Process of imprinting - Animals attach to the first moving or object they see directly after birth

Question 2

What did Lorenz do in 1935?

Answer 2

Showed imprinting occurred in a clutch of goose eggs where half were incubated and saw Lorenz as their first moving object. He placed. the marked ducklings together to show which had imprinted on the mother an Lorenz, quickly divided

Question 3

What did Lorenz find?

Answer 3

That geese follow the 1st moving thing they see during a 12-17 hour critical period of hatching suggesting. attachment is innate

Question 4

Give a - of Lorenz (GOF)

Answer 4

Generalisability issues. For example, mammalian attachment systems are different to birds because mammals can form attachments at any times during their lives at a greater emotional intensity. Suggesting the findings. have a low ecological validity because they can’t be generalised beyond the research which they were. found

Question 5

Give a - (SINP)

Answer 5

Sexual imprinting isn’t permanent.It was demonstrated that chickens who’d imprinted on washing up gloves eventually learned to prefer mate chickens, despite the initial imprinting. Meaning that learning and experience are more important factors in attachment than formation than imprinting

Question 6

What did Harlow do in 1959?

Answer 6

He looked at whether monkeys preferred a source of food or protection as an attachment figure. In a lab experiment rhesus monkeys were raised in isolation. They had 2 surrogate mothers, 1 wire had a feeding bottle and the other was a cloth bound mother

Question 7

What were the findings of Harlow?

Answer 7

The monkeys spent. more time clinging to the cloth surrogate and only used the wire one for feeding. The cloth surrogate gave comfort. in new situations. When the monkey grew up they showed signs of social and emotional disturbance. The females were violent to their offspring

Question 8

Give a + of Harlows research (PV)

Answer 8

Practical Value, especially in zoos and animal shelters. His research demonstrated the importance of attachment figures, alongside contact comfort, which means zoos should ensure animals have the opportunity to form attachments in order to ensure a healthy development

Question 9

Give a - of Harlows research. (EI)

Answer 9

There were some ethical breaches as there was long term harm on the monkeys. In some cases a CBA can be carried out to asses whether the ethical costs are smaller or larger Tham the improved understanding