Lesson 10: Animal studies Flashcards
Who investigated attachment in infant monkeys?
Harlow
Outline the procedure of Harlow’s study into attachment (in monkey’s)
1) Harlow conducted an experiment involving infant RHESUS monkeys SEPARATED from their mothers at birth.
2) He provided them with TWO wire ‘mothers’, one covered in soft cloth.
3) Over a 165-day period, four monkeys received MILK from the CLOTH mother while the other four received milk from the EXPOSED wire mother.
4) Their interactions with each mother were observed, + responses to FEAR STIMULI like a MECHANICAL TEDDY BEAR and exploration of a new room with unfamiliar toys.
Outline the FINDINGS of Harlow’s experiment
1) All EIGHT monkeys spent most of their time on the soft cloth mother, REGARDLESS of whether this mother was the one with the feeding bottle or not.
2) monkeys who were FED by the exposed wire mother only stayed on it long enough to get milk and then returned to the soft cloth mother.
3) When frightened by a MECHANICAL TEDDY bear all monkeys clung to the soft cloth mother + when playing with new objects the monkeys kept ONE FOOT on the
soft cloth mother.
4) When placed in a new environment they were NOT CONFIDENT enough to explore the room unless the soft cloth mother was with them.
What were the 3 LONG TERM EFFECTS of Harlow’s experiment
1) The monkeys developed abnormally
2) FROZE or FLED when approached by other monkeys
3) did NOT cradle their own babies
What was the only condition that allowed the monkeys to recover from not having a maternal figure
if they spent time with other monkeys BEFORE they were 3 MONTHS old
State a POSITIVE evaluation of Harlow’s study into attachment
(Hint: comfort> food)
This study has IMPLICATIONS for attachment.
Harlow’s suggestion that COMFORT/ SENSITIVE RESPONSIVENESS is more important than food contradicts learning theory.
State a POSITIVE evaluation of Harlow’s study into attachment
(Hint: consequences of poor attachment)
+ This study HIGHLIGHTS the implications of early NEGLECT and the long-term consequences of poor attachment in childhood for FUTURE relationships.
This fits with Bowlby’s MATERNAL DEPRIVATION theory.
However, in humans this may be more of a SENSITIVE period as studies have demonstrated how children have been able
to RECOVER from early deprivation (Romanian orphan study)
State a POSITIVE evaluation of Harlow’s study into attachment
+ SCHAFFER and EMERSON (1964) also found that FOOD is not necessary for
attachment to form.
They discovered that babies are often attached to people who PLAY with them, RATHER THAN feed them.
In 39% of cases even though the mother was the one who fed the baby the baby was more ATTACHED to someone else.
State a NEGATIVE evaluation of Harlow’s study into attachment
- This study could be considered to be UNETHICAL
The monkeys were removed from their mothers, which= traumatic AND they were then deliberately scared to see how they would react.
led to LONG-TERM emotional harm, when these monkeys were OLDER and encountered other monkeys they either froze or fled.
They also had difficulty caring for their own young (did not cradle them) as they had not been cared for themselves.
Who was Lorenz and what did he investigate
He was an ETHOLOGIST and he investigated IMPRINTING
What is imprinting?
The instinct in several species of animal to attach to the first moving thing they see after they are born.
Outline the procedure of Lorenz’s investigation into imprinting
1) Lorenz conducted an experiment with Gosling (goose) eggs, dividing them into TWO groups.
2) One group hatched NATURALLY with their mother, while the other hatched in an INCUBATOR with Lorenz as the first moving object they saw.
3) After hatching, Lorenz marked the groups for identification and REINTRODUCED them together.
Outline the 6 findings of Lorenz’s investigation into imprinting
(Hint: Separation, recognition, critical period, exposure, 2 days, teaching)
1) The Goslings SEPARATED themselves, one group following their natural mother and the INCUBATOR group, following Lorenz.
2) Those from the incubator showed no RECOGNITION of their natural mother.
3) Lorenz discovered that IMPRINTING is a process crucial for attachment, that occurs during a specific period in an animal’s early life= CRITICAL PERIOD
4) If not EXPOSED to a moving object during this time, imprinting WON’T occur.
5) Imprinting typically happens within the first TWO DAYS an binds animals to a caregiver.
6) Lorenz had to teach the Goslings how to swim, and they consistently returned to him when called.
Outline the Long-term effects of imprinting
According to Lorenz imprinting is IRREVERSIBLE and LONG-LASTING
Animals (especially birds) will choose to
mate with the same kind of object upon which they were imprinted (SEXUAL IMPRINTING)
State a POSITIVE evaluation of Lorenz’s investigation into attachment
(Hint: Bowbl’s maternal deprivation theory)
+ Imprinting is similar to the idea of a CRITICAL PERIOD in Bowlby’s maternal
deprivation theory.
In both cases there is a ‘WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY’ in which attachments must be formed otherwise there will be NEGATIVE long-term consequences
