describe and evaluate animal studies

Lorenz=aim was to investigate the mechanisms of imprinting. He randomly divided a large group of goose eggs. Half of the eggs were hatched with the mother goose in their natural environment and half were hatched in an incubator with the first moving object they see being Lorenz. Incubator group followed Lorenz everywhere whereas the control group followed the mother. When two groups mixed together findings stayed the same. This is called imprinting where species like birds become attached to the first moving object they see. Lorenz identified a critical period as to when imprinting needs to happen which can be as brief as a few hours. Sexual imprinting= imprinting has an effect on adult mate preferences as the once imprinted to Lorenz displayed mating behaviour to humans. Case study of a peacock with tortoises. Concluded that gooslings are programmed to attach to the first moving object they see, highlighting the rapid formation of attachments in animals.

Harlow=observed newborns in a cage often died but didn’t if given warmth like a cloth. Tested the theory that a soft object serves some of the functions of a mother. Reared 16 baby monkeys with two wire model mothers and in one condition the milk was dispensed but other condition milk was dispensed by a cloth covered mother. As adults the monkeys reared with plain wired mothers were agressive and less sociable. There is a critical period for attachment formation. 90 days or leads to permanent irreversible damage.

AO3

Practical application. Harlows helped social workers understand the risk of neglect. Early intervention to remove children from deprivation.

Ethic issues as moments suffered from distress which may have impacted their normal behaviour (confounding variable) however due to cost benefit analysis.

Lorenz tested his theories on animals so generalisability is questionable.

Some of lorenz ideas have been questioned. A researcher found chickens who imprinted on yellow gloves still preferred to mate with chickens suggesting imprinting on mating behaviour is not as permanent as lorenz believed.