Key Study- Harlow 1959

• Aim

  • To test learning by comparing attachment behaviour in baby monkeys given a wire surrogate mother producing milk with those given a soft towelling mother producing no milk

  
• Procedure 


  • 2 types of surrogate mother were constructed a harsh 'wire mother' and a soft 'towelling mother'. 16 baby monkeys, 4 in each condition
  • Conditions- A cage containing a wire mother producing milk, a towelling mother producing no milk. A cage containing a wire mother producing no milk and a towelling mother producing milk, A cage containing a wire mother producing milk. A cage containing a towelling mother producing milk

  
• Procedure


  • The amount of time spent with each mother as well as feeding time, was recorded
  • The monkeys were frightened with a loud noise to test for mother preference during stress
  • A larger cage was also used to test the monkeys degree of exploration

  
• Findings

  • Monkeys preferred contact with towelling mother when given a choice of surrogate mothers, regardless of whether she produced milk; they even stretched across to the wire mother to feed whilst clinging onto towelling mother
  • Monkeys with only a wire mother had diarrhoea, a sign of stress
  • When frightened by a loud noise, monkeys clung to a towelling mother in conditions where she was available

  
• Findings

  • When frightened by a loud noise, monkeys clung to the towelling mother in conditions where she was available
  • In the larger cage condition monkeys with towelling mothers explored more and visited their surrogate mothers more often
  • Showed abnormal social behaviour, bred less, unskilled at mating when raised by a wire mother. Placed on a rape rack to allow mating to occur. When they became mothers some neglected their young. Others attacked or even killed their children

  
• Conclusion

  • Rhesus monkeys have innate, unlearned need for contact and comfort. Attachment concerns emotional security more than food. Contact comfort is associated with lower levels of stress and a willingness to explore, indicating emotional security

  
• Strengths


  • It has real world applications. For example, it has helped social workers and clinical psychologists to understand that a lack of bonding experiences in child development allowing them to intervene to prevent poor outcomes
  • Cost-benefit approach, cost of animals but has benefited humans greatly

  
• Weaknesses


  • Unethical as it caused severe and long-term distress to the monkeys and it is difficult to generalise findings to humans as he used monkeys

  
• In a later Harlow study...

  • Raised 4 male new-born monkeys in total isolation for 6 months and then placed each one with a normally raised 3 months old female monkey 3 times a week, gradually increasing contact time. After 12 months, their behaviour was almost normal, after 3 years they had totally recovered