Midterm #1 Exam Essay Questions Flashcards
1
Q
Animal Research of Harry Harlow. How did his findings help us in the early understanding of human development?
A
- Monkey Experiments
- Some monkeys raised by “wire mother” and some raised by “terrycloth” mother. When offered a choice, these monkeys alway ran to the terrycloth mother because they could experience a pleasant sense of touch, warmth and comfort even though the wire monkeys offered food.
- When frightened, monkeys sought the terrycloth mother over the wire mother for comfort. They felt immediately more secure when with terrycloth mother and would be willing to explore after spending time with mother. Wire mothers offered no security for the monkeys at all.
- Results: mothering is not just about feeding. It’s about contact, touching, comforting and holding. It’s about “comfort contact.” This explains the results of studies done on Latin American and Romanian orphans.
