Lesson 4.1.3.1

4.1.3.1 Animal studies of attachment: Lorenz and Harlow Quiz: AQA Psychology, Unit 1

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 4.1.3.1, Animal studies of attachment: Lorenz and Harlow: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA Psychology (7182), Unit 1: Introductory topics in Psychology, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Which species did Lorenz use in his research on imprinting?

    • Greylag geese
    • Domestic dogs
    • Rhesus monkeys
    • Laboratory rats

  2. What term describes the rapid, innate attachment formed by newborn animals to a moving object?

    • Operant conditioning
    • Reciprocity
    • Imprinting
    • Classical conditioning

  3. Who or what did the incubator-hatched goslings follow in Lorenz's imprinting study?

    • Biological mother
    • Lorenz himself
    • Wooden duck
    • Wire mannequin

  4. According to Lorenz, what defines the critical period during animal attachment formation?

    • Reversible attachment period
    • Adolescent growth phase
    • Lifelong learning stage
    • Time-limited window

  5. Which species was used in Harlow's studies of surrogate mothers?

    • Chimpanzees
    • Greylag geese
    • Laboratory rats
    • Rhesus monkeys

  6. Which surrogate mother did infant rhesus monkeys prefer in Harlow's attachment study?

    • Wire feeding surrogate
    • Soft cloth surrogate
    • Wooden figure
    • Biological mother

  7. According to Harlow's monkey research, what is the primary basis for attachment?

    • Contact comfort
    • Vocal communication
    • Food provision
    • Physical size

  8. How did infant monkeys behave towards the two surrogate mothers in Harlow's study?

    • Avoided both mothers
    • Preferred cloth mother
    • Preferred wire mother
    • Spent equal time

  9. What common influence on attachment do both Lorenz and Harlow's studies highlight?

    • Biological factors
    • Operant conditioning
    • Cognitive schemas
    • Social learning

  10. Why might findings from animal studies of attachment fail to generalise to humans?

    • Uncontrolled extraneous variables
    • Low reliability
    • High ecological validity
    • Human cognitive complexity

  11. Which process describes an animal forming an attachment to the first moving object it sees?

    • Operant conditioning
    • Classical conditioning
    • Social learning
    • Imprinting

  12. Which concept replaced the critical period idea after research showed imprinting can occur later?

    • Refractory period
    • Sensitive period
    • Latent period
    • Developmental stage

  13. Which measure did Harlow use to demonstrate attachment strength in infant rhesus monkeys?

    • Duration of sleep
    • Time spent clinging
    • Amount of food
    • Frequency of vocalisation

  14. What is a major limitation when applying Lorenz's imprinting findings to human attachment?

    • Observer bias
    • Demand characteristics
    • Species differences
    • Small sample size

  15. What term describes the specific time window during which an animal must form an attachment?

    • Critical period
    • Working model
    • Secure base
    • Monotropic phase

  16. What did Harlow's monkeys seek from surrogate mothers over food provision?

    • Auditory feedback
    • Visual stimulation
    • Social interaction
    • Contact comfort

  17. Why do Lorenz's findings challenge the learning theory of attachment?

    • No food involved
    • Food reinforced attachment
    • Learning required years
    • Feeding caused distress

  18. What primary ethical issue is associated with Harlow's study on rhesus monkeys?

    • Psychological harm
    • Lack of consent
    • Uninformed subjects
    • Deception of participants

  19. In Harlow's study, which surrogate choice isolated food from comfort?

    • Live versus artificial
    • Warm versus cold
    • Large versus small
    • Wire versus cloth

  20. In Harlow's study, what role did the cloth surrogate serve when monkeys were frightened?

    • An internal model
    • A conditioned stimulus
    • An operant driver
    • A secure base

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