What Is Harry Harlow's Work In Understanding Human Attachment?

One of the studies was conducted by Harlow in 1959 who wanted to study the mechanisms by which new-born rhesus monkeys bond with their mothers. He tested the learning theory by comparing attachment behaviour in the monkeys given wire surrogate mother producing milk with those given a soft towelling mother producing no milk.

Rudolph Schaffer and Peggy Emerson (1964) also formulated a theory of attachment based on their longitudinal study of 60 babies in Glasgow looking at the gradual development of attachments; they visited them monthly for the first year of their lives and returned again at 18 months. (Bailey et al. 2008). Similar to Bowlby’s research, Schaffer and Emerson also formulated four key stages of attachment and produced

Harry Harlow 's research on monkey 's support 's Bowlby 's theory of attachment as he investigated ‘the nature of human love and affection ' (Cherry, 2016) through monkeys. This shows Harlow 's experiments demonstrated the importance of early attachments, emotional bonds and how attachment increases a healthy development. Harlow 's experiment consisted of ‘two wired surrogate mothers and an infant monkey separated from their mother hours after birth. One of the wired monkeys had a soft terrycloth around it and the other one only had food attached with to it. ' (Cherry, 2016) This was set up to find out which wired monkey the baby monkeys would be attached to more. Harlow 's study showed that ‘the

This essay is looking at the similarities of two researchers into attachment. The aim is to present their work so as to compare and contrast the different approaches and techniques used by both Harry Harlow and Mary Ainsworth. Even though they both had their different techniques in carrying out their experiments, the conclusion of their findings was very similar and this essay will be showing these findings by contrast. Both psychologists wanted to find out the underlying mechanics of attachment of mothers and their young.

John Bowlby (1907-1990) developed the Theory of Attachment, influenced by the work of Sigmund Freud’s 1926 theory of cupboard love, which suggested that babies form attachments with those who meet their physiological needs, for example; feeding and security. His theory has influenced practice in settings globally and has also influenced other theories and experiments. Bowlby “took a distinctly evolutionary perspective on early attachment. He argued that because newborn infants are completely helpless, they are genetically programmed to form an attachment with their mothers in order to ensure survival”. Collins et al (2012, p274-p275)

There are similarities in the work of both Harlow and Ainsworth on attachment. Firstly, both of them used studies demonstrating attachment beyond Bowlby’s idea of ‘cupboard love’ (Custance 2010), with Harlow’s experiment in the 1950’s giving an example of the power and strength of attachment with the monkeys sometimes returning to an abusive

In the mid 1900s, Harry Harlow took investigated a new field of research and began studying the components between infant-mother love, especially the importance of contact comfort. Harlow was interested in manipulating the mother figure of infants to identify the root of bonds and love; but since this could easily become unethical to study with humans, he used rhesus monkeys. Based on Freud’s hypothesis, one would think that the importance of receiving milk would be the primary root of a bond between the infant and the mother, but Harlow found that contact comfort was incredibly important, even more so than receiving food (Hock, 2013).

Infant attachment is the first relationship a child experiences and is crucial to the child’s survival (BOOK). A mother’s response to her child will yield either a secure bond or insecurity with the infant. Parents who respond “more sensitively and responsively to the child’s distress” establish a secure bond faster than “parents of insecure children”. (Attachment and Emotion, page 475) The quality of the attachment has “profound implications for the child’s feelings of security and capacity to form trusting relationships” (Book). Simply stated, a positive early attachment will likely yield positive physical, socio-emotional, and cognitive development for the child. (BOOK)

Harry Harlow remains a controversial figure. He was extremely influential in behavioral and cognitive psychology as well as psychoanalysis which he strongly criticized, but some of his experiments with moneys were cruel and insensitive. The animal rights movement in the United States grew partly in response to the manner Harlow experimented with monkeys. His revolutionary influence, however, cannot be downplayed. His experiments and the conclusions he made challenged the basics of behavioral psychology of the 1930s to '50s. Thanks to Harlow, it is now generally accepted that children's needs cannot be met just by feeding them that children are in need of other psychological variables such as touching, caring, cuddling, and carrying (Slater, 2004; Sumoi, Horst, & Veer, 2008). Thanks to the influence of one man, the industrialized world has changed fundamentally its child-rearing principles.

This essay will comprise, firstly, of past research looking into what attachment/ attachment theory is, focusing on Bowlby’s (1973) research into why an infant’s first attachment is so important. Followed, by the work of Ainsworth et al (1978) bringing to light the findings from the strange situation, and how the research can explain mental illness. From this and in-depth discussion looking at how the previously discussed pieces of research have an effect on two particular disorders, depression and anxiety; while keeping a holistic approach considering other variables within attachment theory which have been linked with the development of these disorders. Through-out, the implications of knowing about this potential link between attachment and mental health will also be discussed. Finally, a conclusion will be made to whether there is a strong link with attachment and mental illness.

From the Napier video,” Chicken Wire Mother,” the most interesting result from this experiment was Harry Harlow showed that the comfort and security the cloth mother brought allowed the infant monkey to have the courage to explore the scary room. It's important to remember that when Harlow did these studies, people really didn't understand attachment at that time. Around the same time period, it was common for hospitals to refuse to allow parents to visit small children who were hospitalized because it was thought the child would adjust better. Harlow went further with monkeys than we'd do with humans, but it's not like he was being pointlessly cruel. Attachment is a deep and enduring emotional bond that connects one person to another across time and space. It could also be seen a vital in convincing people about the importance of emotional care in hospitals, children's homes and day care.

Harry Harlow’s thorough research on the connection between maternal comfort and rhesus monkeys provides information and knowledge to the reader as an insight into our social and emotional development. In this article, Harlow uses experimental observation of mental and emotional associations of the affectionate ties between the child and the mother. As Harlow says, this is “an instinct incapable of analysis”.

These characteristics are well demonstrated in Mary Ainsworth’s experiment of the “strange situation.” Researcher Chris Fraley describes the study as, “a group of 12 month-old infants and their parents are brought in to the laboratory and, systematically separated from and reunited with one another.” Approximately 58 percent of the children demonstrated characteristics of secure attachment. When the parent left the room the child displayed signs of distress with a need to be close to the attachment figure. When the parent returned to the room, the child eagerly approached

There are two approaches to attachment; evolutionary theory and behavioural theory, and for the purposes of this essay I will focus largely on the evolutionary school of thought.

Harlow’s theories and research show that the affection between a caregiver and the child is very important in order for the child’s development. Studies today seem to show that children who receive affection from their caregiver have a better chance of growing socially and physiologically. Harlow's work revealed the importance affection and social interaction and led to healthy development ideas for children, and influenced practices in raising children, particularly in orphanages and other institutions that provided care to children. The monkeys in Harlow’s study did suffer from heavy emotional damage and many would agree that he committed animal cruelty. The monkeys that he worked with and intentionally kept them socially deprived were placed