Animal studies

Animal studies

1. Imprinting (Lorenz)

   • where young follow and form an attachment with the first large moving object they meet after birth
   • Goose, one natural laid with mum, one in incubator with him
     • natural ones imprinted mother goose
     • incubated ones followed Lorenz
       • showed no bond with mother
       • bond seemed irreversible
         • biological control
       • adult birds could try mating with humans
         • bond stays as they grow old
         • shows the importance of early bonds on adult relationships
           • Bowlby's continuity hypothesis
   • occurs from 4-25 hours after hatching
     • Bowlby's critical period
       • a specific time period in which a bond must form between carer n baby

2. Extrapolation issues - behaviour of animals can't be compared to humans

3. Harlow's monkeys

   • test learning theory
   • comparing attachment between wire mother and infant and soft mother and infant
   • monkey preferred contact with towel regardless of feeding
     • clung to her when frightened
   • wire mum = distress to monkey, diarrhoea
   • have innate need for contact comfort
     • lower stress and emotional security
   • separated monkeys from OG mothers = stressed
   • isolated some monkeys = psychological stress and harm
     • social interactions are needed for normal social and emotional development
     • supports Bowlby's MDH