AO1 - Harlow

• Harlow (1958) wanted to study the mechanisms by which newborn rhesus monkeys bond with their mothers.
• Harlow observed that newborn monkeys kept alone in a bare cage died, but survived when given a cloth to cuddle.
• Harlow (1958) conducted a lab experiment to test his ideas using infant rhesus monkeys.
• Harlow (1958) found that when given a choice, infant monkeys would choose a soft, comforting surrogate mother over one which is just providing food.
• Harlow took 16 monkeys, separated from their mothers immediately after birth and placed in cages. He gave them access to two surrogate mothers; one made of wire and one covered in soft cloth.
• In Harlow's study 8 of the monkeys could get milk from the wire mother and 8 could get milk from the cloth mother.
• Harlow’s findings revealed that separated infant rhesus monkeys would show attachment behaviours towards a cloth-covered surrogate mother when frightened, rather than a food-dispensing surrogate mother.
• Harlow observed the difference in behaviour between monkeys who had grown up with surrogate mothers and those with normal mothers. He found those with a normal mother were much more securely attached.
• Infant monkeys that were reared in a sociable, non-isolated environment went on to develop into healthy adults monkeys.
• Monkeys kept in isolation with the surrogate mothers all displayed dysfunctional adult behaviour.