ATTACHMENT - animal studies of attachment

Question 1

Outline the procedure Lorenz’s research?

Answer 1

• divided a large clutch of goose eggs
  -Half of the eggs were hatched with mother in natural environment
  -other half hatched in an incubator = first moving object they saw was Lorenz

Question 2

Outline the findings of Lorenz’s research?

Answer 2

• the incubator group followed Lorenz ( experimental group)
• the control group who were born naturally followed the mother goose.
• imprinting occurred whereby bird species become attached to the first moving object they see.

Question 3

What is imprinting?

Answer 3

An instinctive emotional bond that animals form with the first object they see after birth. It happens automatically and it is not a rational choice.

Question 4

What are the two types of imprinting?

Answer 4

FILIAL IMPRINTING
SEXUAL IMPRINTING

Question 5

what is filial imprinting?

Answer 5

Young animals attached to the first moving object they see and follow that object around which is usually the parent. They learn behavioural characteristics from this parent.

Question 6

when does imprinting occur?

Answer 6

There is a critical period within which imprinting must occur ( few hours after hatching or birth) - if imprinting does not occur during this time then it will not be possible to form an attachment at all.

Question 7

What is sexual imprinting?

Answer 7

Adult animals from an opinion of what a desirable mate is based on who they imprinted on as a youngster. They direct courtship behaviour towards this species.

Question 8

Outline Lorenzo’s research in studying sexual imprinting?

Answer 8

• a peacock was reared in a reptile house of a zoo
  -the first moving object to the peacocks or after hatching was a giant tortoise
  -as an adult the Peacock would only direct courtship behaviour towards giant tortoises.

the peacock had undergone sexual imprinting

Question 9

Why did Harlow work with monkeys in his research?

Answer 9

They were more similar to humans.

Question 10

What was the aim of Harlow’s research?

Answer 10

To find out where the food or love is more important for attachment.

Question 11

Outline the procedure of Harlow’s research?

Answer 11

• 16 baby monkeys in cages with two wire mothers were placed in 2 conditions
• CONDITION 1 - milk dispensed by plain wire mother.
• CONDITION 2 - milk dispensed by a cloth covered mother.

Question 12

Outline the findings of Harlow’s research?

Answer 12

• baby monkeys cuddled with the cloth covered mother in preference to the plain wire mother.
• when frightened, they sought comfort from the cloth mother regardless of which mother (cloth/wire) dispensed milk.

Question 13

Outline the conclusions of Harlow’s research?

Answer 13

showed that ‘contact comfort’ what is more of an importance to the monkeys than food, when it came to attachment behaviour.

Question 14

What effect does maternal deprivation on monkeys have as they become adults?

Answer 14

• early maternal deprivation had a permanent effect and severe consequences.
  -they did not develop normal social behaviour
  -were more aggressive and less social than other monkeys
  -bred less often than other monkeys
  -once we did breed of the neglected their child.

Question 15

What is the critical period for normal development?

Answer 15

A mother figure must be introduced within 90 days of birth for an attachment to form. After this, attachment is impossible to form.

Question 16

what are the STRENGTHS of Lorenz’s research?

Answer 16

+ research support for concept of imprinting.
eg Regolin + Vallortigara (1995)
chicks were exposed to simple shape combinations that moved.
FINDINGS - a range of shaped combinations were then moved in front of them and they following the original most closely.
This supports the view that young animals are born with an innate mechanism to imprint on a moving object.

+ no demand characteristics as geese do not know they are being studied.

Question 17

what are the LIMITATIONS of Lorenz’s research?

Answer 17

• findings cannot be generalised to humans. The mammalian attachment system is quite different and more complex than birds.
  eg mammals attachment is a two-way process ( mother and baby show attachment behaviour).
  This means that it is not appropriate to generalise Lorenzes ideas to humans.
• it is unethical as geese do not give consent to be studied.

Question 18

what are the STRENGHTHS of Harlow’s research?

Answer 18

+ important to real world application
eg helped social workers/clinical psychologists to understand that a lack of bonding experience may be a risk factor in child development. We now understand the importance of attachment figures for baby monkeys in zoos and breeding programs in the wild. This means that the value of hollows research is also practical.

Question 19

what are the LIMITATIONS of Harlow’s research?

Answer 19

• can’t generalise findings with humans as human brain and behaviour is still more complex than monkeys. This means that it may not be appropriate to generalise Harlow’s findings to human. This decreases the value of his research.

-ethical issues = caused severe and long-term distress to the monkeys.