Animal Studies - Harlow (AO1) Flashcards
Aim of Harlow’s research?
to investigate learning theory of attachment (cupboard love) - do babies attach to their mothers because they provide food?
What was the procedure of Harlow’s research?
16 baby rhesus monkeys were used with four in each of the four conditions for a total of 165 days
amount of time spent with their mother as well as feeding time was recorded
monkeys were then frightened with a loud noise and mechanic monkey to test for mother preference during stress
a larger cage was also constructed to test the monkeys’ degree of exploration
What were the 4 conditions of Harlow’s research?
condition 1:
wire mother producing milk & cloth mother producing no milk
condition 2:
cloth mother producing milk & wire mother producing no milk
condition 3:
wire mother producing milk
condition 4:
cloth mother producing milk
What were the findings of Harlow’s research?
monkeys spent more time with cloth mother (17-18 hours) compared to wire mother (less than 1 hour)
monkeys with only a wire mother had diarrhoea - sign of stress
when frightened by the loud noise, monkeys clung to the cloth mother
in the larger exploration cage, monkeys with cloth mothers explored more
What were the conclusions of Harlow’s research?
monkeys have an innate need for contact comfort - suggests attachment is more to do with emotional security than food
contact comfort associated with lower levels of stress and more willingness to explore - indicates emotional security
