Animal studies of attachment

Created by: AK
Created on: 06-04-18 14:58

Lorenz's procedure

Randomly divided goose eggs. Half hatched with mother goose, half with Lorenz in incubator

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Lorenz's findings

Incubator group followed Lorenz, Mother group followed mother. When groups were mixed they followed the raiser. Critical period in which imprinting needs to take place

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Sexual imprinting

Birds imprinted on humans displayed courtship behaviour to humans. Peacock imprinted on giant tortoises and showed courtship behaviour later on to them

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Harlow's procedure

16 baby monkeys with two wire model mothers. 1st condition: milk dispensed by wire, 2nd condition: milk dispensed by cloth covered

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Harlow's findings

Baby monkeys cuddled soft object in preference when frightened regardless of who dispensed milk. 'Contact comfort' more important

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Maternally deprived monkeys as adults

Monkeys with wire mothers were most dysfunctional, but even those raised with a soft toy didn't develop normal social behaviour

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The critical period for normal development

Mother figure had to be introduced within 90 days for normal attachment to form

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Evaluation - generalisability to humans

Mammalian attachment system is different from birds, so not appropiate to generalise Lorenz's ideas to humans

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Evaluation - some of Lorenz's observations have been questioned

Guiton et al. found chickens imprinted on yellow gloves would try to mate with them, but with experience learned to prefer other chickens. Suggests impact of imprinting isn't as permanent as Lorenz believed

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Evaluation - theoretical value

Harlow showed attachment isn't as a result of being fed, but as a result of contact comfort. Also showed importance of early relationships for later social development

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Evaluation - practical value

Harlow's research has helped social workers understand the risk factors in child neglect and abuse to intervene to prevent it. We also now understand the importance of proper attachment figures for baby monkeys in zoos

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Evaluation - ethical issues

The monkeys suffered greatly as a result of Harlow's research. The counter-argument is that his research was sufficiently important to justify the effects

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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Incubator group followed Lorenz, Mother group followed mother. When groups were mixed they followed the raiser. Critical period in which imprinting needs to take place

Back

Lorenz's findings

Card 3

Front

Birds imprinted on humans displayed courtship behaviour to humans. Peacock imprinted on giant tortoises and showed courtship behaviour later on to them

Back

Card 4

Front

16 baby monkeys with two wire model mothers. 1st condition: milk dispensed by wire, 2nd condition: milk dispensed by cloth covered

Back

Card 5

Front

Baby monkeys cuddled soft object in preference when frightened regardless of who dispensed milk. 'Contact comfort' more important

Back

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Animal studies of attachment