Lorenz's geese study

• Lorenz geese study results

  • RESULTS: imprinted on Lorenz. when released from box, incubated followed him and these bonds were irreversible
• Lorenz geese study aim

  • 1935
  • AIM: investigate whether animals imprinted to form an attachment to the first moving object they see
• Lorenz geese study procedure

  • PROCEDURE: split a clutch of goose eggs into 2 groups, Lorenz and the central group and ensured he was the first moving thing they saw. he then placed them all in a box and removed the box and recorded the behaviours again
• Lorenz geese study conclusion

  • CONCLUSION: imprinting is a form of attachment whereby close contact is kept with he first large moving object they meet
• Lorenz geese study limitations

  • animal extrapolation
  • unethical as in later life, they only want to mate with humans
• Lorenz geese study strengths

  • the fact imprinting only occurs within a brief time period influenced Bowlby's idea of the critical period in human babies