Harlow's Rhesus Monkey Experiment

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Aim
To test learning theory by comparing attachment behaviour in baby rhesus monkeys given a wire surrogate mother producing milk with those given a soft towelling mother producing no milk.
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Procedure
Two types of surrogate mother were constructed: a harsh wire mother and a soft cloth-covered mother. 16 baby monkeys were used, 4 in each condition.

- A cage containing a wire mother producing milk and a cloth mother producing no milk.
- A cage containin
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Findings
Monkeys preferred contact with the cloth mother when given a choice of surrogate mother (regardless of whether she produced milk).

The monkeys even stretched across the wire monkey to feed whilst still clinging to the cloth mother (providing comfort).

M
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Conclusion
Rhesus monkeys have an innate, unlearned need for contact comfort, suggesting that attachment concerns emotional security more than food. Contact comfort is associated with lower levels of stress and a willingness to explore, indicating emotional security
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Evaluation
(Strength)
A strength of Harlow's study is that it was conducted in a controlled, laboratory setting. Harlow was able to control potential extraneous variables such as the monkeys being taken away from their mothers straight after birth, the baby monkeys not being e
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Evaluation
(Weakness)
A weakness of Harlow's study is that it was conducted in a controlled, artificial laboratory setting. The highly controlled laboratory setting that Harlow used is not reflective of the real life situations and may cause the monkeys to behave in an artific
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Evaluation
(Weakness)
Another weakness of Harlow's study is that it can be seen to be unethical. For example, the monkeys in Harlow's study showed great distress when they were removed from their biological mothers. In addition, after the study, when the monkeys were placed in
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Procedure

Back

Two types of surrogate mother were constructed: a harsh wire mother and a soft cloth-covered mother. 16 baby monkeys were used, 4 in each condition.

- A cage containing a wire mother producing milk and a cloth mother producing no milk.
- A cage containin

Card 3

Front

Findings

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

Conclusion

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Evaluation
(Strength)

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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