Animal Studies

• What did early 20th-century ethologists study to understand human mother-infant attachments?

  Animal studies of attachment in infant animals
• What is imprinting as studied by Lorenz?

  It is when bird species follow and form attachment to the first moving object they see after birth
• How did Lorenz conduct his experiment on imprinting?

  He split a clutch of greylag goose eggs into two batches and observed their behavior
• What was the behavior of the incubator group of goslings in Lorenz's study?

  They followed Lorenz everywhere
• What was the critical period for imprinting in Lorenz's study?

  Between 4-25 hours depending on species
• What happens if imprinting does not occur within the critical period?

  The chicks do not attach to a mother figure
• What did Lorenz report about goslings that imprinted on humans?

  They would later attempt to mate with humans
• What was the aim of Harlow's 1959 study?

  To determine whether food or close comfort was the important factor in attachment
• How many baby rhesus monkeys were used in Harlow's study?

  16 baby rhesus monkeys
• What were the two types of surrogate mothers used in Harlow's experiment?

  A harsh wire mother and a soft towelling mother
• What did Harlow's findings reveal about the monkeys' preferences for surrogate mothers?

  Monkeys preferred contact with the towelling mother regardless of milk availability
• What behavior did monkeys exhibit when frightened by a loud noise in Harlow's study?

  They clung to the towelling mother when available
• What were the long-term consequences observed in Harlow's monkeys as adults?

  They were more aggressive, less sociable, and had difficulties in mating
• What ethical concerns are raised by animal studies like those of Harlow and Lorenz?

  Animals have a right not to be harmed in research
• How does the generalizability of animal research findings to humans differ between Lorenz's and Harlow's studies?

  Lorenz's findings may be less generalizable due to the emotional complexity of mammals compared to birds
• How did Lorenz's idea of a critical period influence Bowlby's research?

  It led to the idea that human infants need to attach by age 2 to avoid serious long-term consequences
• What did Harlow's research reveal about the consequences of early neglect in children?

  It showed potential long-term consequences of poor attachment for future relationships
• What is the cost-benefit analysis regarding the use of animals in attachment research?

  It weighs the harm caused to animals against the benefits to human understanding of attachment
• What are the key findings from Lorenz's study on imprinting?

  • Incubator group followed Lorenz; control group followed their mother
  • Critical period of 4-25 hours for imprinting
  • Goslings imprinted on humans attempted to mate with them
• What are the key findings from Harlow's study on attachment in monkeys?

  • Monkeys preferred the towelling mother regardless of milk
  • Monkeys showed signs of stress with only the wire mother
  • Long-term consequences included aggression and poor social skills
• What are the ethical considerations of using animals in attachment research?

  • Animals have rights not to be harmed
  • Research on humans is not always feasible
  • Findings can help identify risk factors in vulnerable children
• How have animal studies influenced our understanding of human attachment?

  • Lorenz's critical period influenced Bowlby's research
  • Harlow's findings highlighted consequences of early neglect
  • Both studies provided insights into attachment mechanisms