Discuss research into animal studies of attachment (16 marks)
A01
Lorenz’s research - imprinting
Procedure: randomly divided a larch group of goose eggs- half of the eggs hatched with the mother goose, and
half were hatched in an incubator where the first moving object they saw was Lorenz.
Findings: The incubator group followed Lorenz everywhere whereas the control group, hatched in the
presence of the mother, followed her, even when the two groups were mixed.
Imprinting - attach and follow the first moving object they see.
Critical period - a time in which imprinting needs to take place or they will never attach themselves to a
mother figure.
Sexual imprinting- case study.
A peacock that had been reared in the reptile house of a zoo where the first moving objects the peacock saw
after hatching were giant tortoises- as an adult, this bird would only direct courtship behaviour toward giant
tortoises. This means that the peacock had undergone sexual imprinting.
A01
Harlow’s research - the importance of contact comfort with rhesus monkeys.
Observed that newborns kept alone in a bare cage often died but they usually survived if given something like
a soft cloth to cuddle.
Procedure: 16 baby monkeys with 2 wire model ‘mothers’. In one condition the wire mother dispensed milk
the other condition the cloth mother did.
Findings: the baby monkeys cuddle the cloth mother regardless of which mother dispensed milk. Showing
that ‘contact comfort’ was of more importance than food when it came to attachment behaviour.
Maternally deprived monkeys as adults - had a permanent effect, monkeys with plain wire mothers were more
dysfunctional but neither developed normal social behaviour. Monkeys were aggressive and less sociable than
normal meaning they bred less than typical. When they did become mothers they would neglect or attack
young.
The critical period of normal development - similar to Lorenz - critical period. 90 days for attachment to form
after this time damage is irreversible.
A03
One strength of Lorenz’s research is the existence of support for imprinting. A later study supports this -
chicks were exposed to simple shape combinations that moved, a range of shapes passed but they followed
the original most closely. This supports the idea that young animals are born with an innate mechanism to
imprint on a moving object present in the critical window of development as predicted by Lorenz.
A03
One limitation of Lorenz’s studies is the ability to generalise findings from birds to humans. Human/ mammal
systems are more complex than birds. In mammals attachment is a 2 way process, not solely the young that
become attached. This means that it is probably not appropriate to generalise his ideas to humans.
However…
His findings have been highly influential within the field of developmental psychology. For example, the fact
that imprinting is seen to be irreversible suggests that attachment formation is under biological control and
that attachment formation happens within a specific time frame. This is a strength because it led
developmental psychologists (such as Bowlby) to develop well-recognised theories of attachment suggesting
that attachment formation takes place during a critical period and is a biological process.
A03
One strength of Harlows is its real-world applications. For example, it has helped social workers and clinical
psychologists understand that a lack of bonding is a risk factor in child development- allowing for
intervention. We also understand the importance of attachment figures in zoos. This means that the value of
research is not only theoretical but practical.
However…
Harlow's research caused severe long-term distress to the animals involved and wasn't ethical, so although it
has practical application it may not have been worth the ethical implications it caused. Cost-benefit analysis.
, A03
One limitation of Harlow’s research is the ability to generalise findings and conclusions from monkeys to
humans. Rhesus monkeys are more similar to Lorenz’s birds, however, the human brain and human behaviour
are more complex than monkeys. This means that it may not be appropriate to generalise Harlow's findings to
humans.
A01
Lorenz’s research - imprinting
Procedure: randomly divided a larch group of goose eggs- half of the eggs hatched with the mother goose, and
half were hatched in an incubator where the first moving object they saw was Lorenz.
Findings: The incubator group followed Lorenz everywhere whereas the control group, hatched in the
presence of the mother, followed her, even when the two groups were mixed.
Imprinting - attach and follow the first moving object they see.
Critical period - a time in which imprinting needs to take place or they will never attach themselves to a
mother figure.
Sexual imprinting- case study.
A peacock that had been reared in the reptile house of a zoo where the first moving objects the peacock saw
after hatching were giant tortoises- as an adult, this bird would only direct courtship behaviour toward giant
tortoises. This means that the peacock had undergone sexual imprinting.
A01
Harlow’s research - the importance of contact comfort with rhesus monkeys.
Observed that newborns kept alone in a bare cage often died but they usually survived if given something like
a soft cloth to cuddle.
Procedure: 16 baby monkeys with 2 wire model ‘mothers’. In one condition the wire mother dispensed milk
the other condition the cloth mother did.
Findings: the baby monkeys cuddle the cloth mother regardless of which mother dispensed milk. Showing
that ‘contact comfort’ was of more importance than food when it came to attachment behaviour.
Maternally deprived monkeys as adults - had a permanent effect, monkeys with plain wire mothers were more
dysfunctional but neither developed normal social behaviour. Monkeys were aggressive and less sociable than
normal meaning they bred less than typical. When they did become mothers they would neglect or attack
young.
The critical period of normal development - similar to Lorenz - critical period. 90 days for attachment to form
after this time damage is irreversible.
A03
One strength of Lorenz’s research is the existence of support for imprinting. A later study supports this -
chicks were exposed to simple shape combinations that moved, a range of shapes passed but they followed
the original most closely. This supports the idea that young animals are born with an innate mechanism to
imprint on a moving object present in the critical window of development as predicted by Lorenz.
A03
One limitation of Lorenz’s studies is the ability to generalise findings from birds to humans. Human/ mammal
systems are more complex than birds. In mammals attachment is a 2 way process, not solely the young that
become attached. This means that it is probably not appropriate to generalise his ideas to humans.
However…
His findings have been highly influential within the field of developmental psychology. For example, the fact
that imprinting is seen to be irreversible suggests that attachment formation is under biological control and
that attachment formation happens within a specific time frame. This is a strength because it led
developmental psychologists (such as Bowlby) to develop well-recognised theories of attachment suggesting
that attachment formation takes place during a critical period and is a biological process.
A03
One strength of Harlows is its real-world applications. For example, it has helped social workers and clinical
psychologists understand that a lack of bonding is a risk factor in child development- allowing for
intervention. We also understand the importance of attachment figures in zoos. This means that the value of
research is not only theoretical but practical.
However…
Harlow's research caused severe long-term distress to the animals involved and wasn't ethical, so although it
has practical application it may not have been worth the ethical implications it caused. Cost-benefit analysis.
, A03
One limitation of Harlow’s research is the ability to generalise findings and conclusions from monkeys to
humans. Rhesus monkeys are more similar to Lorenz’s birds, however, the human brain and human behaviour
are more complex than monkeys. This means that it may not be appropriate to generalise Harlow's findings to
humans.
