Attachments (paper 1) - Animal studies

Question 1

Who used Goslings as sample?

Answer 1

Lorenz

Question 2

What was the aim of Lorenz experiment

Answer 2

To investigate the effect of imprinting on goslings

Question 3

Outline the procedure from the experiment conducted by Lorenz

Answer 3

1. Lorenz randomly divided the goose eggs
2. half the eggs (control group) were hatched with the mother
3. the other half (the experimental group) hatched in an incubator and the first moving object they saw was Lorenz.
4. Lorenz recorded the behaviour of the goslings and who they imprinted on.
5. once the eggs hatched the two groups were mixed up and Lorenz observed who they followed
6. Varied the time between giving birth and seeing the first object so he could measure a critical period.

Question 4

What are the findings of Lorenz experiment

Answer 4

• The incubator group that saw lorenz first imprinted on him and followed him, the group that hatched with the mother goose imprinted on her and followed her.
• identified a critical period of 12-17 hours, in which attachment needed to take place or else it never would happened
• Gosslings that imprinted on humans would try to mate with humans as adult birds

Question 5

Conclusion of Lorenz experiment

Answer 5

• Goslings imprint on the first moving object they see, there is a specific time in which it needs to take place otherways they may not attach at all.

Question 6

Why can this Lorenz experiment be praised

Answer 6

p. practical application
e. principles of the research that goslings imprint within 12.17 hours/ goslings that imprint on humans try to mate with humans as adult birds shows the importance of the critical period
e. Psychologists can use this info to promote the importance of early interactions between parents and infants to avoid later issues in life
l. Lorenz research is an important part of applied psychology for understanding animal and human attachement

Question 7

How can Lorenz research be criticised

Answer 7

P. animal bias
E. It was conducted on Gossling to investigate attachment
e. Human attachment behaviour is more complex than animal attachment behavior, humans emotions are more sophisticated towards their infants than birds
l. issue extrapolating the findings to humans