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Animal Studies of Attachment

Pioneering Research

Animal studies of attachment have been crucial in improving our understanding of the processes involved in human attachment.

1

Konrad Lorenz (1935)

Studied geese to explore imprinting, a form of rapid learning occurring in a specific early life period.
2

Harry Harlow (1958)

Studied rhesus monkeys to investigate the role of contact comfort in attachment.

Lorenz’s Geese Findings

Lorenz observed that incubator-hatched goslings followed him (the first moving object they saw), revealing key mechanisms of early bond formation.

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Imprinting

A fixed attachment formed very early and which is irreversible.
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Critical Period

A few hours after hatching during which imprinting must occur.
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Sexual Imprinting

Early attachments influenced later mate preferences.

Human Attachment vs. Imprinting

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Did Lorenz's work suggest human bonds are solely innate and passive?
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Imprinting is more rigid in geese than human attachment, which tends to be more flexible and based on reciprocal interactions rather than passive following.

Harlow’s Study Method

Contact Comfort Test

Baby monkeys were separated from their mothers and presented with two surrogate “mothers” – one made of wire that provided milk, and another made of soft cloth but without milk. This challenged the learning theory view that attachment develops solely through food provision.

Harlow’s Key Findings

Contact Comfort > Food Provision
The monkeys spent significantly more time clinging to the cloth mother, even though it didn’t provide food, stressing the importance of tactile comfort in attachment.

Harlow: Critical Period and Deprivation

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Deprivation Effects: Monkeys raised with only the wire mother showed signs of emotional and social disturbance, including fearfulness, abnormal social behavior, and problems later in mating and parenting.

Evaluation of Animal Models

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Strengths They provide controlled environments to test specific hypotheses. They have been foundational in challenging ideas and introducing concepts such as critical periods and contact comfort.
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Limitations Animal models cannot fully replicate the complexity of human attachment, which involves higher cognition and social interaction. Ethical concerns exist about the distress caused to animals.
Attachment Animal Studies Flashcards
Question
Konrad Lorenz's Animal

What animal did Konrad Lorenz study in his attachment research?

Answer
Geese

Konrad Lorenz studied geese in his attachment research.

Question
Imprinting Definition

What is imprinting according to Lorenz's study?

Answer
Imprinting

A rapid, irreversible form of attachment formed early in life during a critical period.

Question
Critical Period

What did Lorenz discover about the critical period?

Answer
Critical Period

Imprinting must occur within a few hours after hatching or the attachment will not form.

Question
Sexual Imprinting

What is sexual imprinting?

Answer
Sexual Imprinting

Early attachments influence later mate preferences.

Question
Harry Harlow's Species

Which species did Harry Harlow use in his attachment experiments?

Answer
Rhesus Monkeys

Harry Harlow used rhesus monkeys in his attachment experiments.

Question
Surrogate Mothers

What were the two types of surrogate mothers in Harlow’s study?

Answer
Surrogates

A wire mother providing milk and a soft cloth mother without milk.

Question
Contact Comfort

What did Harlow conclude about the importance of tactile comfort?

Answer
Importance

Contact comfort is more crucial than food in forming attachment.

Question
Long-term Effects of Wire Mother

What long-term effects did Harlow observe in monkeys raised with only a wire mother?

Answer
Effects

Emotional and social disturbances, including fearfulness and abnormal social behavior.

Question
Strengths of Animal Studies

What are two strengths of animal studies of attachment?

Answer
Strengths

Controlled environments and foundational insights like critical periods and contact comfort.

Question
Limitation of Animal Studies

What is a major limitation of animal studies of attachment?

Answer
Limitation

They cannot fully replicate the complexity of human attachment behavior.

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🌸 Attachment Studies Quiz

1. What does imprinting refer to in Lorenz’s study?

Lorenz showed that goslings form a fixed attachment to the first moving object during a critical early period.

2. In Harlow’s study, which surrogate mother did the baby monkeys prefer?

The monkeys favored the cloth mother because it offered comfort, showing that attachment is about more than just food.

3. True or False: Lorenz’s concept of imprinting suggests human attachment is formed in a rigid and irreversible way.

Human attachment is more flexible and involves reciprocal interactions, unlike the rigid imprinting seen in geese.

4. What long-term effects are seen in monkeys deprived of a soft cloth mother in Harlow’s study?

Monkeys raised without contact comfort showed behavioral problems later in life.

5. Which of the following is NOT a limitation of animal studies of attachment?

Controlled settings are considered a strength, not a limitation.

📊 Results

  • Notes and Quiz
  • Psychology
  • AS & A Level
  • Attachment
  • AQA