Harlows monkeys 1958

• Who conducted important animal research on attachment?

  Harry Harlow
• Why are rhesus monkeys significant in Harlow's research?

  They are more similar to humans than birds
• What did Harlow observe about newborn monkeys in bare cages?

  They often died without soft objects
• What was the procedure of Harlow's 1958 experiment?

  • 16 baby monkeys reared with two wire 'mothers'
  • One mother dispensed milk, the other was cloth-covered
  • Observed preferences for comfort over food
• What did baby monkeys prefer in Harlow's experiment?

  They preferred the cloth-covered mother
• What did the baby monkeys seek when frightened?

  Comfort from the cloth-covered mother
• What does 'contact comfort' refer to in Harlow's findings?

  Importance of soft objects for attachment
• What were the long-term effects of maternal deprivation in Harlow's monkeys?

  • Monkeys were more aggressive and less sociable
  • They bred less often and were unskilled at mating
  • Some neglected or attacked their young
• What was the most dysfunctional group of monkeys in Harlow's study?

  Those reared with plain-wire mothers
• What critical period did Harlow identify for attachment formation?

  90 days for a mother figure introduction
• What happens if a mother figure is not introduced within the critical period?

  Attachment becomes impossible and damage is irreversible