Psychology Revision - Animal Behaviour (comaprative psychology)

Created by: meghampton
Created on: 07-04-16 11:34

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Animal Behaviour
- Lorenz (1935)
  - took a large clutch of goose eggs, half placed with the mother, half with him
  - Lorenz imitated a quacking sound, the birds regarded him as their mother
  - goslings followed the first moving object they saw
    - 12-17 hour CRITICAL PERIOD
      - after 32 hours - unlikely to ever develop attachment
    - Process known as IMPRINTING
      - suggests attachment is innate and programmed genetically
  - put the gosling under an upturned box + allowed them to mix
    - all separated back to Lorenz and mother
- Harlow and Harlow (1965)
  - Infant monkeys reared in isolaton
    - took baby monkeys and isolated them from birth
    - some for 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months
    - resulted in bizarre behaviour
      - clutching their own bodies, rocking compulsively
      - became aggressive
      - unable to socialise with other monkeys
  - Infant monkeys reared with surrogate mothers
    - 8 monkeys separated from their mothers immediately after birth and placed in cages
    - given access to two surrogate mothers, wire and cloth
    - studied for 165 days
    - all spent more time with cloth mother, gave the sense of safety and protection
    - results
      - didn't know how to act around other monkeys
      - difficulty with mating
      - inadequate mothers
- Advantages
  - ability to advance or understanding of humans
    - medical + scientific research
    - example - Harlow lead to Bowlby's study which advanced or understanding of attachment
  - animals can be used when humans would not be permitted
  - laws in place to protect animals
  - for the greater good - end justifies the reasons for using animals
  - humans can be compared to animals
    - humans evolved from animals
  - reduction, replacement, refinement
    - protects animals + makes research more ethical
- Disadvantage
  - cannot give informed consent
  - research from animals cannot always be directly transferred to humans
  - hard to carry out experiments in their natural environment
    - results wont be valid
  - unethical research is often carried out
- Ethical Issues
  - argument of speciesism, humans should not be elevated above animals
  - research is often repetitive + answer is self-evident
  - animals have the right to be treated with respect
  - animals cannot provide consent
  - causes emotional harm and unnatural behaviours carried out though their life
  - animals are capable of emotion as they are so similar to humans

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Psychology Revision - Animal Behaviour (comaprative psychology)

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