Social Development Flashcards
What did Konrad Lorenz’s experiment about greylag geese show?
They would imprint on the first moving thing they encountered during a critical period of 13 - 16 hours after hatching. Seeing a human during this period releases a fixed action pattern.
What was Henry Harlow (1957 - 1963) attempting to demonstrate in his experiment with rhesus monkeys?
He raised rhesus monkeys in partial isolation in bare wire cages, where they could see other monkeys but not touch them. He was arguing for the importance of a mother’s warmth and love, and the necessity of physical touch. Those in partial isolation circled repetitively, stared blankly and mutilated themselves.
What was the outcome of releasing totally isolated rhesus monkeys?
They went into states of emotional shock, clutching themselves whilst rocking back and forth. 1 out of 6 monkeys refused to eat and eventually died :(
Is it true that isolation results in impairments of both social and cognitive abilities?
No, only social behaviour is affected. Cognitive abilities are unscathed.
Isolates recover better with older monkeys. True or false?
False. Younger monkeys are better equipped at therapising the isolates, as they learn to engage in friendly behaviour whilst older monkeys tend to be hostile.
How long did it take the monkeys to recover? Are monkeys in 12 month isolation unable to recover?
They took 6 months. There is a critical period of over 12 months, so monkeys isolated for 12 months were still able to recover.
Who is Oxana Malaya?
She was a feral child raised in a dog kennel behind her house for 6 years with other dogs. She barked and growled but after rehab she is able to speak normally, but unable to be completely “normal”
What were Bowlby’s concerns towards the foster care system?
He was worried that the lack of a consistent caregiver or parent would lead to social impairments; crippling abilities to forge relationships.
What did Bowlby realise about children in foster homes?
They tended to be more apathetic and indifferent to people, yet engaged in attention-seeking behaviours. They also had cognitive and language impairments.
What did Harold Skeels (1930s) attempt to show through his experiment?
Whilst nutrition, warmth and cleanliness were important, the presence of a consistent caregiver (regardless of intellectual disability) managed to foster relatively better IQs in children who remained in the orphanage at 19 months.
What did Dennis (1973) discover about the relationship between age and IQ development?
Those adopted earlier were capable of increasing their IQs more. Hence, indicating there is a sensitive period.
What is the difference between receiving damage during a critical and sensitive period?
Damage during critical periods usually have more drastic effects that occur at precise points and are irreversible. However, damage during sensitive periods can eventually be minimised / altered, and are more gradual.
How did Perry (2002) measure the impact of neglect on a child?
He emphasised on brain volumes. He compared children who were removed from neglect from a young age to those who were removed later, and found that those who escaped neglect earlier had bigger brain volumes.
What is the sensitive period in social human development?
Exposing humans to a nurturing environment during their first 2 - 3 years of life.
