Attachment - Animal Studies Of Attachment Flashcards
What is imprinting?
A form of attachment where birds attach to the first moving object they see during a critical period after hatching.
What did Lorenz’s study demonstrate?
Lorenz’s study:
Procedure: Lorenz divided a clutch of goose eggs. Half were hatched with the mother (control group), and half in an incubator with Lorenz (experimental group).
Findings: The experimental group followed Lorenz, while the control group followed the mother. Imprinting only occurred during a critical period and was irreversible.
Sexual imprinting: Lorenz found that imprinted animals later displayed courtship behaviors toward the species/object they imprinted on, e.g., a peacock raised with tortoises showing courtship toward tortoises.
What did Harlow’s study show about the importance of contact comfort?
Harlow’s study:
Procedure: Baby monkeys were placed with two surrogate mothers: one made of wire dispensing milk and one covered in cloth.
Findings: Monkeys preferred the cloth mother, spending most time with it, even when the wire mother provided food. This showed contact comfort is more important for attachment than food.
What were the long-term effects of maternal deprivation in Harlow’s monkeys?
Findings: Monkeys reared with surrogate mothers exhibited dysfunctional behavior. They were aggressive, less sociable, and had trouble mating. As mothers, they were neglectful or abusive.
Harlow concluded a critical period for normal development (within 90 days). If attachment was not formed by then, the effects of maternal deprivation were irreversible.
What are the key terms related to animal studies of attachment?
Animal studies: Research using non-human animals to study attachment, often for ethical or practical reasons.
Critical period: A time frame during which attachment must occur, or it may not develop at all.
What is one evaluation point about generalizing Lorenz’s findings to humans?
Lorenz’s findings on imprinting have limited generalizability. His research was based on precocial birds, like geese, which form attachments differently from humans. For example, mammalian attachment involves more emotional bonding, and mammals can form attachments at any time, not just during a critical period. This limits the extent to which Lorenz’s findings can be applied to human attachment theory.
What is one evaluation point about Harlow’s theoretical value?
Harlow’s research demonstrated that attachment does not develop as a result of feeding but rather through contact comfort. This challenged earlier views like learning theory, emphasizing the importance of early relationships for later emotional and social development. This has significantly influenced our understanding of human attachment.
What is one evaluation point about the practical value of Harlow’s research?
Harlow’s findings have practical applications. They have helped social workers understand the effects of child neglect and abuse, leading to interventions to prevent harm (e.g., Howe, 1998). The research also improved care practices for captive monkeys and breeding programs, demonstrating its real-world importance beyond theoretical contributions.
What is one evaluation point about ethical issues in Harlow’s study?
Harlow faced criticism for the ethical issues in his research. The monkeys experienced significant stress and long-term harm, as they struggled socially and became abusive parents. Although the findings provided profound insights, the suffering caused raises concerns about the use of animals in research. However, Harlow justified the study, arguing that the findings outweighed the ethical costs.
