Harry Harlow
Definition
Harry Harlow was an American psychologist best known for his maternal-separation experiments on rhesus monkeys which demonstrated the importance of care-giving and companionship in social development and cognitive function.
Analogy
Think of Harry Harlow as a detective trying to solve the mystery of attachment. His experiments with monkeys were like clues that helped him piece together how and why we form bonds with others.
Related terms
Maternal Deprivation: The absence or loss of a mother, which can lead to negative effects on development and behavior in children.
Contact Comfort: A term coined by Harlow referring to the physical and emotional comfort that an infant receives from being in physical contact with its mother or caregiver.
Critical Periods: Specific time frames during an organism's life during which it is sensitive to environmental influences or stimuli, and thus capable of undergoing developmental changes.
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Practice Questions (1)
- Harry Harlow's experiments with rhesis monkeys and surrogate mothers demonstrate the importance of
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