Lorenz (1935)

• aim


  to investigate imprinting
• what's imprinting? 


  -an innate readiness to develop a strong bond with mother

  -takes place during specific time in development

  -most likely first few hours after birth/hatching
• when does imprinting take place?

  first few hours after birth/hatching

  -critical period
• procedure 


  -took clutch of gosling eggs

  -divided them into 2 groups

  -one group was left with biological mother

  -other eggs placed in incubator

  -when incubator eggs hatched the first living thing they saw was Lorenz & started following him

  -Lorenz marked the 2 groups to distinguish them and placed them together
• findings


  -the goslings he looked after imprinted on to him

  -despite biological mother being present

  -Lorenz's brood showed no recognition of natural mother
• critical period


  -Lorenz noted the process of imprinting limited by this

  -if young animal isn't exposed to moving object during this period the animal wont imprint

  -won't form attachment
• what does early imprinting have an effect on?

  mate preferences
• sexual imprinting

  -animals choose to mate with same kind of object upon which they're imprinted

  -especially birds do this
• conclusion

  the study supports the idea of imprinting and that there's a critical period in which this must occur