animal studies of attachment

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animal studies of attachment

Advantages

  • existence os support for imprinting (Lorenz) -regolin 1955 exposed chicks to simple shapes and followed original one closet when moved
  • important real life application (Harlow) helped social workers and clinical psychologists understand lack of bonding experiencing can be risk factor is child development allowing intervention to prevent poor outcomes (howe 1998 now understand importance of attachment figures for moneys in zoos and breeding programmes)

Disadvantages

  • ability to generalise finding and conclusion from birds to humans (Lorenz)
  • ability to generalise finding and co elusion from monkeys to humans (Harlow) -  although monkeys more similar to humans than birds human brain is still more complex

Evaluation

+support view young animals are born with innate mechanism to imprint on a move object present in critical window of development +value of Harlow's research is not just theoretical its also practical  - not appropriate to generalise finding's to humans 

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