Harry Harlow · 1958
Harlow's Monkey Experiment
Proved "love" matters more than food using monkeys. famous for its cruelty but showed importance of contact comfort.
Methodology
Design:
• Infant rhesus monkeys separated from mothers
• Two "Surrogates":
- Wire mother: Cold but had milk
- Cloth mother: Warm/soft but no milk
⏱️ Observation: 165 days
"Fear Room":
• Scared monkeys with loud toys to see which mother they ran to
Findings
Results:
• Time with Wire Mother: ~1 hour/day (only to eat)
• Time with Cloth Mother: ~17-18 hours/day
Fear Room:
• 100% ran to Cloth Mother
• Used Cloth Mother as secure base
• No Cloth Mother = Cowered in terror on floor
Long-term:
• Isolates remained socially inept, unable to mate or parent
Significance
Impact on Child Development:
• Changed "no touch" policies in orphanages/hospitals
• Evidence for Kangaroo Care
• Influenced Bowlby's Attachment Theory
Ethics:
• Cruel "Pit of Despair" experiments followed
• Sparked animal rights movement