Evaluation of Animal Studies Flashcards
How can you use the issue of confounding variables to evaluate Harlow’s research?
-The two stimulus objects varied in more ways than being cloth-covered or not.
-The mothers heads were different which acted as a confounding variable because it varied systematically with the independent variable.
-The reason the infants preferred the cloth mother may be because she had a more attractive, familiar head.
-Conclusions lack internal validity.
What is the issue with involving non-human animals in research?
-Aim of animal studies is to generalize the findings to human behaviour.
-Humans differ from animals.
- A number of studies have found that the observations made of animal attachment behaviour are mirrored in human studies.
-Should always seek confirmation by looking at research with humans.
What ethical issues arise from Harlow’s research?
-Study created lasting emotional harm as the monkeys later found it difficult to form relationships with their peers.
-Can be justified in terms of the significant effect it has on our understanding of the process of attachment.
How is Guiton’s research supportive of Lorenz’s imprinting theory?
-Demonstrated that leghorn chicks, exposed to yellow, rubber gloves whilst being fed during their first few weeks, imprinted on the gloves.
- Supports the view that young animals are not born with a predisposition to imprint on a specific type of object but on any moving object that is present during the critical period of development.
