Animal Studies Of Attachment

• What do some psychologists study in animal behavior?

  Why animals act the way they do
• Why is animal research useful for studying human behavior?

  It allows studies not possible on humans
• What ethical concerns arise from animal research?

  Different mental experiences of animals and humans
• Who are the two influential researchers mentioned regarding attachment?

  Konrad Lorenz and Harry Harlow
• What concept did Lorenz investigate in his research?

  Imprinting in graylag geese
• What did Lorenz do to test imprinting in geese?

  He divided eggs and controlled hatching
• What was the critical period for imprinting found by Lorenz?

  32 hours after hatching
• What did Harlow's experiment test regarding attachment?

  The learning theory of attachment
• What did Harlow use as surrogate mothers in his experiment?

  One wire mother and one cloth mother
• What did Harlow find about the infant monkeys' preferences?

  They preferred the cloth mother for comfort
• What long-term problems did Harlow's monkeys face?

  Issues interacting with other monkeys
• What did Harlow conclude about the nature of attachment?

  It involves an innate need for contact
• What did Bowlby argue about human infants and attachment?

  They crave comfort from their mothers
• Why is it problematic to apply animal research findings to humans?

  Humans and animals are biologically different
• What is the critical period for human infants to form attachments according to Bowlby?

  6 to 30 months
• What did later research on human orphans indicate about attachment?

  Humans have a sensitive period, not critical
• How did Harlow's research influence child care practices?

  It highlighted the importance of early attachment
• What ethical concerns are associated with Harlow's research?

  It caused suffering to primates
• What is a cost-benefit perspective regarding Harlow's research?

  Some argue it was justified for knowledge gained
• What should be kept in mind when evaluating unethical studies?

  Unethical does not invalidate the data collected