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What was the significance of Harry Harlows experiment on rhesus monkeys

Author

Sarah Scott

Published Mar 31, 2026

Harlow removed young monkeys from their natural mothers a few hours after birth and left them to be “raised” by these mother surrogates. The experiment demonstrated that the baby monkeys spent significantly more time with their cloth mother than with their wire mother.

What did Harry Harlow's experiment with rhesus monkeys demonstrate quizlet?

Harlow concluded that privation (i.e. never forming an attachment bond) is permanently damaging (to monkeys). The extent of the abnormal behaviour reflected the length of the isolation.

What did Harlow's experiment teach us about attachment?

In contrast, Harlow’s explanation was that attachment develops as a result of the mother providing “tactile comfort,” suggesting that infants have an innate (biological) need to touch and cling to something for emotional comfort.

What conclusions were reached by Harry Harlow in his research with rhesus monkeys?

Harlow concluded that there was much more to the mother–infant relationship than milk, and that this “contact comfort” was essential to the psychological development and health of infant monkeys and children.

What was Harry Harlow's experiment quizlet?

To find out whether provision of food or contact comfort is more important in the formation of infant-mother attachment. Eight newborn rhesus monkeys, separated from their mother immediately after birth.

What were the implications of Harlow's findings?

What were the implications of Harlow’s finding? After living around and adopting the two “mothers”, the monkeys were more attached to the cloth mothers when anxious. The cloth mother also became a “secure base” when exploring a new environment.

What did Harry Harlow's experiment demonstrate?

Harlow removed young monkeys from their natural mothers a few hours after birth and left them to be “raised” by these mother surrogates. The experiment demonstrated that the baby monkeys spent significantly more time with their cloth mother than with their wire mother.

Which of the following is a finding of Harlow's study of rhesus monkeys and attachment?

Which of the following is a finding from Harry Harlow’s study (1958) of rhesus monkeys and attachment? The mother’s ability to provide contact comfort was critical in forming a strong attachment on the part of her infant.

What belief about attachment did Harlow's work with monkeys disprove?

This disproved the prominent theory known as the “cupboard theory” in which it was believed that infants only had an attachment to their mothers because they were the source of food, thus associating the mother with positive feelings.

What is Harry Harlow known for?

Harry Harlow was an American psychologist who is best-remembered for his series of controversial and often outrageously cruel experiments with rhesus monkeys. In order to study the effects of maternal separation and social isolation, Harlow placed infant monkeys in isolated chambers.

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