Animal Studies

Question 1

Why are animals often used in research?

Answer 1

Because they can breed a lot faster, making it easier to see the long-term effects of attachment.

Question 2

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Imprinting

Answer 2

When an animal forms a close, dependent bond with the first animal they see after being born.

Question 3

Lorenz (1935) - Aim

Answer 3

To investigate whether imprinting will take place.

Question 4

Lorenz (1935) - Procedure

Answer 4

Halved a large clutch of goose egg, half were placed under a mother goose, the others in an incubator beside Lorenz. Upon hatching, Lorenz imitated a quacking sound. Then, all goslings were put under a box and mixed. The box was removed to see who the goslings would go to - the mother goose or Lorenz.

Question 5

Lorenz (1935) - Findings

Answer 5

After birth, the goslings with Lorenz regarded him as their mother and followed him. The other group followed the mother goose. Lorenz identified a 12-17 hour critical period in which imprinting must occur. When the box was removed, the two groups ran to their respective mothers.

Question 6

Lorenz (1935) - Conclusions

Answer 6

Imprinting can take place, and is innate and programmed genetically.

Question 7

Harlow (1958) - Aim

Answer 7

To investigate why newborn rhesus monkeys bond with their mothers.

Question 8

Harlow (1958) - Procedure

Answer 8

Eight infant monkeys were separated from their mothers at birth and placed in cages with two surragate mothers for 165 days. One mother was made of cloth, the other wire. Four monkeys received food from the cloth mother, the others from the wire mother.

Question 9

Harlow (1958) - Findings

Answer 9

Both groups of monkeys spent more time with the cloth mother, even if she did not feed them. Infants would only go to the wire mother when hungry. They would explore more when the cloth mother was present, and if a frightening object was placed in the cage, they would seek refuge in the cloth mother.

Question 10

Harlow (1958) - Conclusion

Answer 10

Supports the evolutionary theory of attachment, in that it is the sensitive response and security of the caregiver that is important, as opposed to the food. Monkeys require some interaction with an object they can cling to in the first months of thier life. Early deprivation can lead to emotional damage.

Question 11

What were the lasting effects for the monkeys used in Harlow’s study?

Answer 11

They were much more timid, didn’t know how to act with other monkeys, they were easily bullied and wouldn’t stand up for themselves, had difficulty mating, and the females were inadequate mothers.

Question 12

Strengths of Animal Studies

Answer 12

• Harlow’s study is applicable in understanding that food is not the only important factor in attachment, but comfort too.
• Also, Harlow showed the importance of quality of early relarionships in having healthy later relationships.
• The findings of Lorenz’s research have been extremely influential within developmental psychology (with his findings on imprinting).

Question 13

Limitations of Animal Studies

Answer 13

• Animal studies lack generalisability to human infants, especially Lorenz’s geese.
• Lorenz’s findings may lack temporal validity as later studies have drawn opposing conclusions from their research. For example, Guiton et al. (1966) found that imprinting on mating behaviour is not as permanent as Lorenz believed.
• Ethical issues were causes, especially with Harlow’s monkeys, as they were psychologically harmed and impaired for the rest of their lives in multiple fields.