To have a profound effect on the development of our understanding of human attachment.
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What is imprinting?
The innate readiness to develop a strong bond with the mother, takes place during specific time in development. This time period is the first few hours after birth, otherwise it doesn't occur
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When did Lorenz's research take place?
1935
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Describe the procedure
Took clutch of gosling eggs, dived into two groups. One group was left with natural mother, others placed in incubator. When incubator group hatched first thing they saw was Lorenz. They started following him around and became imprinted on him.
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Describe the findings
Lorenz's group followed him around showing no recognition of natural mother, He noticed this process of imprinting is limited to critical period. He discovered that if young animal is not exposed to moving object during critical period it wont imprint.
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When is the critical period for imprinting?
Within two days. Imprinting is similar to attachment in that it binds young animals to a caregiver in a special relationship.
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List several features of imprinting
It is reversible and long lasting. It has an affect on later mate preferences called sexual imprinting. Animals would choose to mate with the same kind of object upon which they were imprinted on. Early imprinting is limited to reproductive behaviour
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Strength for Lorenz's research
Research support
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Critics of imprinting
There's dispute over the characterises, like it being reversible.
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What did Harlow's research(1959) demonstrate
That mother love was not based on the feeding bond between mother and infant. So proving learning theory incorrect.
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Describe the mothers
Two wire mothers, different head. One mother was additionally covered in soft cloth.
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Describe the monkeys
Eight infant rhesus monkeys were studied for a period of 165 days. For half of monkeys milk bottle was placed on cloth covered mother, other half milk bottle was on wire mother.
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What were the measurements made
Amount of time monkeys spent with each mother.
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What were infant monkeys frightened by
Mechanical teddy bear, observations were made
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Summarise the findings
All eight monkeys spent most of their time with cloth covered mother, no matter if it had feeding bottle or not. Those who were fed by wire mother were fed quickly and then returned to cloth mother. When frightened all of them clung to cloth covered mothe
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What do the findings suggest?
Infants don't develop an attachment to the person who feeds them but to the person who offers comfort.
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Describe long lasting effects
he noted consequences- motherless monkeys who did not have comfort contact developed abnormally. Socially abnormal, sexually abnormal, mating behaviour.
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Other cards in this set
Card 2
Front
What is imprinting?
Back
The innate readiness to develop a strong bond with the mother, takes place during specific time in development. This time period is the first few hours after birth, otherwise it doesn't occur
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