Lorenz

• Lorenz

  > aim - to investigate the effects of 'imprinting' on goslings

  > Method - field experiment
• Lorenz

  Procedure

  > Lorenz randomly divided goose eggs

  > Half the eggs were hatched with the mother goose in their natural environment (control)

  > The other half were hatched in an incubator where the first moving object they saw was Lorenz (experimental group)

  > Lorenz recorded the behaviour of goslings

  > Once the eggs had hatched the two groups of goslings were mixed up and Lorenz observed who they followed

  > He varied the time between birth and seeing a moving object so he could measure the critical period of imprinting
• Lorenz Findings

  > The incubator group that saw Lorenz first imprinted upon and followed Lorenz everywhere whereas the group who saw the mother goose first imprinted upon and followed her

  > Lorenz identified a critical period (12-17 hours) in which imprinting takes place. If imprinting does not occur within that time Lorenz suggests that chicks will not attach

  > Goslings who imprinted on to humans would, as adult birds, attempt to mate with humans (sexual imprinting)
• Lorenz conclusions

  > Goslings imprint on the first moving object that they see, there is a specific time period in which this needs to take place, otherwise they may not attach/imprint
• Lorenz AO3

  :) Practical applications

  > Principles of research, goslings must imprint within 12-17 hours otherwise they would not imprint at all

  > Promoting the importance of early interactions between parents and infants and reduce issues later in life

  > Therefore an important part of applied psychology
• Lorenz AO3

  :( Criticised for animal bias

  > Human attachment may be more complex

  > Attachment in humans is a two way process so not just the young that become attached but the mothers as well

  > Limiting the extent to which Lorenz's research can be used to explain human attachments
• Lorenz AO3

  :( Researcher bias

  > Lorenz recorded his own observations so may only include findings that support his theory of imprinting

  > Ignoring those that did not imprint on him

  > Lowering the internal validity as it may not be truly measuring the effects of imprinting on attachment