Lorenz's Geese

 

Lorenz's Geese

The aims

Lorenz wanted to research the development of attachment using relatively natural conditions

The procedure

He divided a clutch of goose eggs into 2 groups. One was hatched by the mother goose and followed her around, the other was hatched in an incubator and saw Lorenz when they first hatched. That group would follow Lorenz around like he was their mother. He also placed the geese in an upturned box to test his theory of imprinting and each group of geese ran to their 'mother'. 

The findings

He found that the imprinting would only occur within a critical period (a period of time when a person is particularly sensitive and impressionable). If it does not occur within that period then it won't happen at all. Imprinting in irreversible and long lasting even when the geese were matured. It had an impact on the mate preferences as they would've wanted to mate with something similar. 

Conclusion

The study supports Bowlby's theory about attachment evolving for its survival and reproductive value. It shows imprinting is similar to the process that of an animal bonding with its primary care giver. The geese relied on Lorenz to be able to survive and it shows how important it is for an animal to develop an attachment to its primary caregiver.