Animal Studies

• Why do we carry out animal research studies?

  Some studies are unethical on humans
• Lorenz AO3 - Cannot be generalised


  • One limitation of Lorenz’s research is that it can be criticised for extrapolation
  • This is because the way human attachments form could be very different compared to greylag geese as they are psychologically different
  • For example, mammalian mothers show more emotional attachment and care than birds, as well as mammalian attachments being a two way process that take time to form
  • This means that it may not be appropriate to generalise Lorenz’s ideas about imprinting to humans
• What is one reason for using animals in research?

  To study early bonds between parents and offspring
• How do animals differ from humans in research contexts?

  Animals show true natural behavior
• What is a limitation of using animals in research?

  Hard to generalize findings to humans
• What is the main focus of Lorenz's research?

  Imprinting in goslings
• What was the procedure of Lorenz's imprinting study?

  • Divided gosling eggs into two groups
  • One group hatched with mother (control)
  • Other group hatched in incubator with Lorenz
  • Marked goslings to identify groups
  • Released together to observe behavior
• What did Lorenz observe about the goslings' behavior?

  They followed their 'mother figure' everywhere
• What conclusion did Lorenz draw from his research on goslings?

  Attachment behavior is an innate instinct
• What is the term Lorenz used to describe the bond formed by goslings?

  Imprinting
• What is the critical period in Lorenz's research?

  A time for imprinting after hatching
• What happens if goslings are not exposed to a moving object after hatching?

  They will not imprint and fail to attach
• What is the definition of imprinting?

  An innate readiness to bond with the mother
• What does the critical period refer to?

  A biologically determined time for development
• What are the key concepts in Lorenz's research on imprinting?

  • Imprinting: innate bond formation
  • Critical period: specific time for imprinting
  • Importance of early exposure to moving objects
• Lorenz AO3 - Further research support


  • The fact that imprinting is seen to be irreversible (as suggested in Lorenz’s study) suggests that attachment formation is under biological control and that attachment formation happens within a specific time frame
  • This is a strength because it lead developmental psychologists like Bowlby to develop well recognised theories of attachment suggesting that the attachment formation takes place during a critical period and is an innate process. Such theories have been highly influential in the way child care is administered today
• Lorenz AO3 - Questioned conclusions


  • However, Lorenz’s irreversible imprinting conclusion has been questioned due to other research
  • For example, Guiton et al found that chickens imprinted on yellow washing up gloves would try to mate with them as adults however, with experience, they eventually learned to prefer other chickens
  • This suggests that the impact of imprinting is not as permanent as Lorenz believed as is now thought of as a plastic mechanism (it has the ability to change and adapt)
• How many rhesus monkeys were used in Harlow's research?

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

  One made of wire, one covered in cloth
• What was the primary finding regarding the monkeys' preference for the surrogate mothers?

  Monkeys preferred the cloth mother over the wire mother
• What behavior did the monkeys exhibit when a frightening object was introduced?

  They took refuge with the cloth mother
• What abnormal behaviors were observed in the orphaned monkeys?

  Timidity, aggression, difficulty mating
• What was the critical period for the monkeys in Harlow's study?

  90 days of deprivation
• What happened to the monkeys that were deprived for less than 90 days?

  They could recover if placed in a normal environment
• What are the key findings of Harlow's research on contact comfort in rhesus monkeys?

  • Monkeys preferred cloth mother for comfort
  • Abnormal behaviors in orphaned monkeys
  • Critical period of 90 days for attachment
  • Recovery possible if deprived less than 90 days
• Harlow AO3 - Theoretical value

  • Harlow’s findings had a profound effect on 1950’s predominately white Britain who strongly believed that parent should “leave the child to cry”, which contradicts contact comfort
  • The findings also showed the importance of the quality of early relationships for later social development
  • This is an advantage as it has valuable implications - it helps social workers and psychologists understand that a lack of bonding experience may be a risk factor in child development, allowing them to interfere and prevent poor outcomes
• Harlow AO3 - Cannot be generalised


  • Though rhesus monkeys are the most similar to humans than any other species, the human brain is much more complex than a primate as our behaviour is governed by conscious decisions unlike geese and monkeys
  • This is a problem because we cannot assume that animals and humans form complex emotional attachments in the same way
  • Therefore more research is needed to aid our understanding
• Harlow AO3 - Privation


  • However, there is support for some of Harlow’s findings from human research into privation (lack of attachment formation)
  • For example, Rutter and Sonuga-Barke’s studies of Romanian orphans have supported the idea of lasting psychological and emotional damaged if children are denied consistent contact with a caregiver beyond the age of six months
  • This suggests that whilst Harlow’s findings cannot be completely generalised some elements may provide useful insights into the way permanent deprivation impacts humans too