Animal Studies of Attatchment

Animal Studies of Attachment

Lorenz: geese imprinting (1935)

Lorenz found goslings automatically 'attatch' to the first large, moving object they see, then follow it evrywhere- imprinting. He randomly divided clutch of eggs into 2 groups: one group with mother, incubated others. Incubated goslings followed him around exactly the same way natural goslings in controll group follwed biological mother. Put all goslings together and they seperated themselves and found their respective 'mothers'. Lorenz determined imprinting happened between 13-16 hours of birth (critical period).

Harlow: Rhesus monkeys- contact comfort (1959)

M/ Aimed to find if baby monkeys prefered food source or comfort/protection source as an attatchment figure. In lab, monkeys raised in isolation. Had 2 'surrogate mothers': wire mesh with feeding bottle, the…