Attachment - Animal studies Flashcards
How did Lorenz carry out his study?
In condition 1, Lorenz was the first thing that the goslings saw when they hatched in an incubator.
In condition 2, the goose mother was the first thing the goslings saw when they hatched in their natural environment.
The chicks were mixed up and released. Lorenz observed and recorded who the chicks followed and recorded their adult mating behaviour.
What were the findings of Lorenz’s study?
Chicks in condition 1 followed Lorenz and did not mate with other geese as adults.
Chicks in condition 2 followed the goose mother and performed mating displays with other geese as adults.
What did Lorenz find was the critical period for imprinting for geese?
A few hours after hatching.
What is the strength of Lorenz’s study?
Support from other research. Chicks imprinted on rubber gloves.
What is the limitation of Lorenz’s study?
The animals under the study were birds. Cannot be directly linked to humans as human attachments are more emotional and complex than imprinting in birds.
What happened in Harlow’s study?
8 rhesus monkeys were separated from their mothers shortly after birth and they were kept in cages and studied for 165 days. Food was either available from a wire mother or cloth mother. The monkeys were also frightened to see who they ran to.
What were the findings of Harlow’s study?
All 8 monkeys spent most of their time on the cloth mother (around 18 hours a day).
They only went to the wire mother for milk around 1 hour a day.
They clung to the cloth mother when frightened.
All the monkeys developed abnormally, they were frightened easily and could not make normal relationships.
What was the critical period for the monkeys in Harlow’s study?
3 months
What are the strengths of Harlow’s research?
- Supports Schaffer and Emerson’s findings of the idea of contact comfort rather than food.
- Supports evidence for critical period.
- Evidence for effect of early attachment on later relationships.
- Has practical value for human health and social work, telling us about the importance of contact care.
What are the limitations of Harlow’s research?
There was a confounding variable that undermines the validity - the wire monkey did not really look like a monkey.
The study for monkeys may not be accurate for humans.
The monkeys experienced extreme suffering and lifelong difficulties.
