Which psychologist conducted experiments with baby rhesus monkeys and cloth or wire 'mothers' to study attachment via contact comfort?

Which psychologist conducted experiments with baby rhesus monkeys and cloth or wire 'mothers' to study attachment via contact comfort?

• A. Konrad Lorenz
• B. Mary Ainsworth
• C. B. F. Skinner
• D. Harry Harlow

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is that attachment is driven by contact comfort—the sense of safety and warmth provided by a caregiver—rather than by nourishment alone. In these famous studies, baby rhesus monkeys were given a choice between two surrogate mothers: one made of cloth that offered softness and a sense of security, and another made of wire that provided milk. The infant monkeys preferentially clung to the cloth surrogate, especially when frightened, using it as a safe base to explore their environment. This showed that the emotional comfort and tactile reassurance a caregiver provides are crucial for forming attachments. Even when the wire surrogate fed them, the monkeys still sought the cloth mother for comfort, underscoring that warmth and contact are foundational to bond formation. These findings challenged the idea that feeding is the primary driver of attachment and helped shift thinking toward the importance of emotional and physical closeness in the formation of relationships. They also influenced later attachment theories that emphasize security and caregiver responsiveness as key to healthy development. For context, Konrad Lorenz explored imprinting in birds, Mary Ainsworth conducted the Strange Situation to categorize human attachment styles, and B. F. Skinner focused on operant conditioning rather than attachment experimentation.

The main idea here is that attachment is driven by contact comfort—the sense of safety and warmth provided by a caregiver—rather than by nourishment alone. In these famous studies, baby rhesus monkeys were given a choice between two surrogate mothers: one made of cloth that offered softness and a sense of security, and another made of wire that provided milk. The infant monkeys preferentially clung to the cloth surrogate, especially when frightened, using it as a safe base to explore their environment. This showed that the emotional comfort and tactile reassurance a caregiver provides are crucial for forming attachments. Even when the wire surrogate fed them, the monkeys still sought the cloth mother for comfort, underscoring that warmth and contact are foundational to bond formation.

These findings challenged the idea that feeding is the primary driver of attachment and helped shift thinking toward the importance of emotional and physical closeness in the formation of relationships. They also influenced later attachment theories that emphasize security and caregiver responsiveness as key to healthy development. For context, Konrad Lorenz explored imprinting in birds, Mary Ainsworth conducted the Strange Situation to categorize human attachment styles, and B. F. Skinner focused on operant conditioning rather than attachment experimentation.