Attachment - Animal studies

Question 1

Imprinting

Answer 1

Newly hatched birds following the first moving object

Question 2

Lorenz & his geese (study)

Answer 2

2 groups (experiment - saw him first, control - saw mother goose first)
- Experimental group followed him around everywhere & shows irreversible effects of imprinting
- Critical period of 4-25 hours after hatching

Question 3

Harlow & his monkeys (study)

Answer 3

2 wire monkeys - one with soft cloth
- Sought comfort from cloth mother despite her not producing any milk
- Rhesus monkeys have innate, unlearned need for comfort over food
- Those with maternal deprivation: more aggressive, less sociable & struggled to find a mate
- Critical period of 90 days

Question 4

Strength of Lorenz’s geese study

Answer 4

Credible (Regolin & Vallortigara - chicks following a shape after it was the first thing they saw -> born with innate imprinting -> supporting evidence)

Question 5

Limitation of Lorenz’s geese study

Answer 5

Ungeneralisable (mammalian system is different & more complex compared to birds -> attachment is a 2-way process -> unreasonable to generalise [Seebach - computer users & ‘baby duck’ syndrome])

Question 6

Strength of Harlow’s monkey study

Answer 6

Practical application (help social workers & clinical psychologists understand development & bonding -> understand importance of attachment figures for monkeys in zoos -> not just theoretical [Unethical - causes distress for animals involved])

Question 7

Limitation of Harlow’s monkey study

Answer 7

Ungeneralisable (monkeys are similar but human brains and behaviour is more complicated -> studies are inappropriate to compare to humans -> inaccuracy)