Attachment - Animal studies

Question 1

Introduction to animal studies of attachment

Answer 1

• Have provided valuable insights into attachment
• 2 key researchers: Conrad Lorenz and Harry Harlow
• Shaped our understanding of early attachment formation

Question 2

Lorenz - Imprinting

Answer 2

• Studied grey-lag geese and discovered imprinting
  Imprinting - process where birds form attachment to first large moving object they see
• Experiment: Divide goose eggs into two groups
  Control group hatched with mother
  Experimental group imprinted on Lorenz

Question 3

Findings from Lorenz’s research

Answer 3

• Attachment formation has an instinctive survival component
• Critical period exists for imprinting (12-17 hours after hatching)
• Imprinting is irreversible
• Suggests importance of early experiences in attachment

Question 4

Harlow’s monkeys experiments

Answer 4

• Challenged behaviourist views on attachment
• Used rhesus monkeys removed from mothers at birth
• Created two surrogate mothers: cloth and wire
• Cloth mother provided comfort, wire mother provided food

Question 5

Harlow’s findings

Answer 5

• Monkeys strongly preferred cloth mother over wire mother
• Spent 17-18 hours a day with cloth mother
• Less than 1 hour with wire mother
• Suggest comfort is more important than food in attachment

Question 6

Harlow’s fear experiments

Answer 6

• Introduced fear-inducing stimuli to monkeys
• Monkeys alone showed fear responses
• With cloth mother, explored and even attacked scary objects
• Demonstrates importance of secure base for exploration

Question 7

Long-term effects of isolation

Answer 7

• Monkeys raised without mothers showed significant social deficits
  -As adults, they were inadequate or abusive mothers themselves
• Highlights importance of early attachment for future parenting
• Critical period for attachment around 90 days

Question 8

Implications for attachment theory

Answer 8

• Supported aspects of Bowlby’s attachment theory
• Challenged learning theory based on behaviourism
• Highlighted importance of comfort over food in attachment
• Demonstrated existence of critical/sensitive periods

Question 9

Ethical concerns and limitations

Answer 9

• Harlow’s experiments criticised for cruelty to animals
• Question of generalisability to human attachment
• Possible differences in critical periods between animals and humans
• Ethical considerations in animal research for human benefit

Question 10

Impact on attachment research

Answer 10

-Animal studies provided foundation for human attachment theories
- Highlighted importance of early experiences in development
- Influenced child care practices and social work
- Raised awareness of potential harm from early neglect