Lorenz (1935) Flashcards
What did Lorenz investigate?
Imprinting in geese
What is imprinting?
The instinct in several species of animals to attach to the first moving thing they see after they are born
What study did Lorenz (1935) conduct?
- he took a clutch of gosling eggs and divided them into two groups
- one group was left to hatch with their natural mother, and the other in an incubator
- the incubator group imprinted on Lorenz
- he marked the groups to distinguish between them
What were the findings from Lorenz’s study?
- natural group followed their mother, incubator group followed Lorenz
- incubator group showed no recognition of natural mother
Define critical period.
The period of time in which imprinting can occur.
What happens if an attachment isn’t formed within the critical period for animal?
The animal will not imprint.
What is the critical period for animals?
2 days.
Animals imprint on consistently moving objects during their first two days.
Give an example to show that the geese had imprinted on Lorenz.
He taught the goslings how to swim and they would always return to him when he called.
What are the features of imprinting?
The process is:
- irreversible
- long-lasting
Define sexual imprinting.
Animals will choose to mate with the same kind of object they imprinted on.
Evaluate Lorenz (1935).
(+) Gutton (1966) supported the idea that animals are innate to imprinting on the first moving object. Chickens imprinted on yellow gloves that were used to feed them in their first few weeks.
(-) Gutton (1966) found that imprinting is reversible. Initially, chickens tried to mate with yellow gloves but after spending time with their own kind, they engaged in normal sexual behaviour.
