animal studies of attachment Flashcards
define ethologist
scientist who studies animal behaviour in their natural environment
who did a study on geese
Lorenz
explain the procedure and findings of Lorenz’s research
randomly divided a clutch of goose eggs
half hatched with mothers in natural environment
half hatched in an incubator with Lorenz being the first moving thing they saw
incubator (experimental group) - followed Lorenz
control group - followed their mother
define sexual imprinting
birds that imprinted on humans would later display courtship behaviours towards humans
explain the procedure and findings of Lorenz’s case study
1952
in reptile house of a zoo
peacock that first moving it saw after hatching was a giant tortoise
as an adult peacock would only direct courtship behaviour to giant tortoises
Lorenz concluded that the peacock had undergone sexual imprinting
define imprinting
species mobile from birth attach to and follow the first moving thing they see
what happens if imprinting does not occur in chicks
if imprinting does not occur in chicks then they don’t attach themselves to a mother figure
who did the animal study on rhesus mnkeys
Harlow
what was the procedure of Harlow’s study
reared 16 rhesus baby monkeys
with 2 wire monkeys
one condition - milk dispensed by plaine wire mother
2nd condition - milk dispensed by cloth covered mother
what were the findings of Harlow’s study
monkeys reared with wire mothers were most dysfunctional
those reared with soft toy as mother did not develop normal social behaviour
they were more aggressive, less sociable, unskilled at mating
baby monkey cuddled cloth covered monkey regardless of who was dispensing milk as they were seeking comfort
define the crictical period in Harlow’s study
a mother had to be introduced within 90 days for an attachment to form
after this it’s impossible and the damage becomes irreversible
explain the effects of early maternal deprivation in harlow’s study
plain wire mothers only got milk = most dysfunctional
when they became mothers they neglected or attacked their young
