Animal studies of attachment Flashcards
(19 cards)
What is the internal working model?
A schema of the world which a child uses to predict and control its environment
Early attachment acts as a template for future relationships as it generates predictions of how people behave
Define secure base
primary attachment figure is used as a safe base for exploring world. Infant returns for security
What is the critical period and what will child struggle with if critical period isn’t met?
If human child doesn’t form primary attachment by 2.5 years it’ll struggle to form one at all
What do we mean by attachment is innate
Its biologically pre programmed into children at birth for survival
What do infants emit to stimulate caregiving from adults?
Social releasers eg. looking cute, cooing, smiling
What is the concept of monotropy?
Infants forms a primary attachment to whomever responds best to their social releasers
What was the procedure and aim of Harlows research?
-tested to see if baby monkeys preferred soft cloth mother providing comfort
OR a wire monkey providing milk (physical needs)
-16 baby monkeys left separately with each ‘mother’ to see which they preferred
-tested on which mother they’d run to when scared (food or comfort)
What were the findings of Harlows research?
What do the results show?
-all monkeys spent the most time with cloth mother and only went to the wire mother for food- showing emotional needs (comfort) is more important than food in attachment formation
-monkeys also returned to the cloth mother when frightened- supporting that attachment figure is used as a secure base
-all monkeys reared without real mum were more aggressive, less sociable and less skilled at mating and become aggressive mums - supporting internal working model
-90 day critical period for attachment formation - if don’t attach in this time, permanent damage caused
Give 3 strengths of Harlows research
generalisability
Real life application
Supports bowlbys monotropic theory
How does Harlows research have generalisability?
Monkeys are more similar to humans than any other animals and share similar attachment behaviours (secure base, comfort above food and internal working model)
What could be a counter to Harlows research having generalisability?
The human brain and behaviour is much more complex than monkeys so some aspects of attachment are different
-Concept of the critical period may be different in humans as some children do recover
How does Harlows research have real life application?
Its helped social workers and psychologists understand the effects a lack of bonding experience may have on children later in life
-Foster parents were advised not to attach to kids to protect them but now realise this may cause later problems in life
Give a limitation of Harlows research
Challenges the learning theory of attachment by showing comfort and security are more important for forming attachments than food or reinforcement.
What did Lorenz study?
Imprinting
Birds follow the first moving object they see within a critical period
What was the procedure of Lorenz study of geese ?
-Randomly divided goose eggs (half hatched in natural environment with goose mother as first moving object seen)
(Other half hatched in incubator with Lorenz as first object they saw)
Describe Lorenz’s findings
-Control group imprinted mother and followed her everywhere
-Experimental group imprinted Lorenz and followed him
-When groups mixed they still continued to follow thing they imprinted to
-Critical period for geese was identified as 12-17 hours and if imprinting doesn’t occur in this period, geese don’t attach to mother at all
Give a strength of Lorenz research
-Supports Bowlbys monotropic theory
Give a limitation of Lorenz research
Lacks generalisability to attachment in humans
-Humans don’t imprint their attachment behaviour isa very diff. In humans its a 2 way process based on emotional needs
-Humans critical period is longer (2.5 yrs)
Give a counterpoint to Lorenz research lacking generalisability
he shows attachment is innate supporting Bowlby proving the purpose of attachment for survival is the same
-Supports the concept of the internal working model, similar in humans
