Harlow's monkeys

• What did Harlow want to test in his study?

  If the idea of a soft object serves some of the functions of a mother
• What was the procedure of Harlow's study?

  • He reared 16 baby monkeys with two model mothers
  • One mother provided food (plain wire) and the other provided comfort (covered in cloth)
• What did Harlow find from his study?

  • The monkeys cuddled the cloth-covered mother rather than the one who provided food
  • They sought comfort in the cloth-covered mother when they were frightened
• What does Harlows findings suggest?

  That 'contact-comfort' was more of importance to the monkeys than food when in terms of attachment behaviour
• What did Harlow find about maternally deprived monkeys as adults in his study?

  • The monkeys who were reared with the wired mother were the most dysfunctional, but those who were reared with the cloth-covered mother also developed anti-social behaviour
  • The monkeys were agressive and bred less than typical monkeys
  • As adults, some mothers neglected their children and even killed in some cases
• What critical period did Harlow identify for monkeys to be able to develop normally?

  Within 90 days
• What happened if an attachment was not formed within the critical period?

  An attachment was impossible and the damage created was irreversible
• How does Harlow's study have real-world value? (Strength)

  It has helped social workers and clinical psychologists understand that a lack of bonding experience may be a risk factor in child development

  • This means that the value of Harlow's research is also practical
• Why is it hard to generalise Harlow's study and findings to humans? (Limitation)

  The human brain and behaviour is much more complex to those of monkeys although monkeys and humans are much more similar
• What is an ethical issue of Harlow's study?

  Animal Cruelty - his research caused severe and long-term disress to the monkeys he experimented on