LORENZ AND HARLOW [animal studies]

Question 1

What did Lorenz study in animals?

Answer 1

Imprinting

Question 2

How did Lorenz investigate imprinting in animals?

Answer 2

He compared geese hatched normally by their mother and geese hatched in an incubator with him being the first thing they saw

Question 3

What results did Lorenz find?

Answer 3

The geese hatched in the incubator followed him everywhere, whilst the control group followed their mother

Question 4

What did Lorenz find about these bonds?

Answer 4

They were IRREVERSIBLE and affected sexual imprinting as well

Question 5

What did Lorenz identify about the time limit for imprinting after birth?

Answer 5

There is a CRITICAL PERIOD in which the geese had to imprint on an attachment figure

Question 6

What happened if no attachment was formed during the critical period?

Answer 6

An attachment would never be formed

Question 7

What did Lorenz discover about sexual imprinting?

Answer 7

Adult mate preferences are determined by the species they first imprint on
- A PEACOCK raised in a reptile house imprinted on GIANT TORTOISES, later displayed mating behaviour towards them

Question 8

What is the conclusion of Lorenz’ study?

Answer 8

Imprinting is a crucial and permanent part of development for birds

Question 9

How can Lorenz’ research be applied to humans?

Answer 9

Shows the importance of early attachments and the impact on adult behaviours, the critical period was later extended to humans by Bowlby

Question 10

Why is it inaccurate to apply Lorenz’ research to humans?

Answer 10

The mammalian attachment system is very different to that in birds, therefore it has low generalisability

Question 11

How has Lorenz’ conclusion been challenged?

Answer 11

SEXUAL IMPRINTING MAY NOT BE PERMANENT - Guiton found that chickens that imprinted on yellow washing up gloves would initially try and mate, but learn better and mate with chickens instead

Question 12

What did Harlow study in animals?

Answer 12

The importance of contact comfort

Question 13

How did Harlow investigate the importance of contact comfort?

Answer 13

He reared baby monkeys with two wire ‘mothers’, one covered in cloth, different ‘mothers’ dispensed milk in different conditions

Question 14

What results did Harlow find?

Answer 14

The monkeys would cuddle and seek the cloth covered mother for comfort despite which one dispensed milk
= comfort was more important than food in forming an attachment

Question 15

What did Harlow find when he observed the monkeys into adulthood?

Answer 15

Those reared with a wire mother were extremely dysfunctional & those with a cloth mother never developed normal social behaviour
- they were aggressive, bred less, and neglected or even killed their children

Question 16

What do Harlow’s adulthood observations show?

Answer 16

Maternal deprivation has a permanent effect = model behaviour is necessary for the internal working model

Question 17

What did Harlow propose as the critical period?

Answer 17

90 days

Question 18

What is the theoretical value of Harlow’s conclusions?

Answer 18

They have affected psychologists’ understanding of attachment, showing the importance of comfort and quality in early attachment in order to develop properly as an adult

Question 19

How does Harlow’s research have practical value?

Answer 19

It has been applied to helped neglected children with social care, as well as the care of neglected monkeys in zoos

Question 20

How have the ethics of Harlow’s research been criticised?

Answer 20

The monkeys suffered greatly, and was considered to be human-like

Question 21

What is the counter-argument to criticisms of Harlow’s ethics?

Answer 21

The research was important enough to justify the suffering

Question 22

Why is Harlow’s research easier to apply to humans than Lorenz’?

Answer 22

Monkeys are mammals with significant similarities to the human species