Lorenz’s research

• Lorenz's research


  Research on the relationships between newborn animals and their mothers, which informed psychologists' understanding of caregiver-infant attachment in humans
• Konrad Lorenz


  • One of the most prominent ethologists who conducted animal studies on caregiver-infant attachment
• Imprinting


  Phenomenon where bird species that are mobile from birth attach to and follow the first moving object they see
• Critical period for imprinting


  Brief period, often just hours after hatching/birth, when imprinting needs to take place
• If imprinting does not occur within critical period, chicks do not attach to a mother figure
• Sexual imprinting


  Relationship between imprinting and adult mate preferences, where birds imprint on first moving object and later display courtship behaviour towards it
• Case study of sexual imprinting


  • Peacock reared in reptile house, imprinted on giant tortoises and only courted them as an adult