Animal Studies: Lorenz And Harlow

Question 1

Lorenzs study on imprinting

Answer 1

Used a clutch of goose eggs
Had half imprint on a goose and half on him
Imprinting is when an animal attaches itself to the first thing it sees after hatching
Attachment must occur within the critical period of 30 months if not then then the child will never form an attachment

Question 2

Sexual imprinting

Answer 2

The idea that whatever the animal has imprinted to is what it will sexualy desire in the future
For example a peacock that grew up surrounded by turtles wantd to mate with turtles

Question 3

A03

Answer 3

• has low ecological validity as cannot rlly be generalised as he used birds in his study and humans are mamals and mamals have found to be able to form attachments at any time in their life and on deeper level of intensity
• sexual Imprinting not that permanent as study w chickens who imprinted kn a rubber glove would eventually learn to mate w other chickens so acc learning and experience are more important than Imprinting

Question 4

Harlow

Answer 4

Used monkeys and two iron maidens one covered in a blanket and one not
The one not covered would dispense milk
However the monkeys chose to stay with the maiden that had a blanket even tho the other had food
This demonstrates the importance of contact comfort in developing attachments

Question 5

Effects later

Answer 5

The monkeys would struggle to form attachments they would be aggressive towards their own children and would be socially reclusive which demonstrates the great need for a secure attachment within the critical period of 30 months

Question 6

AO3

Answer 6

+ has practical application as it helped the design of zoos and animal shelters as he demonstrated the need for anattachment figure, intellectual stimulation and contact comfort so these places could ensure all these things within the critical period of the animals at the zoo

• ethical issues as Harlow induced long term psychological harm on the monkeys as they struggled later in life to form secure attachments and even attacking their young and Harlow likely saw this happening so a cross benefit analysis should be done to see whether it was worth the harm to know a bit more abt attachment