However, we have to admit that although this psychological experiment is cruel, the psychological truth it reveals is of great benefit to future parents.
Then why is this experiment called cruelty, and why does this experiment have great enlightenment to the education of later generations? Don't worry, let me tell you everything.
In the late 1950s, Harlow made a series of experiments with rhesus monkeys, including surrogate mother experiment, mask experiment, iron lady experiment and despair well experiment, and each experiment was actually controversial. Today, we should pay attention to the "surrogate experiment" that has the greatest impact on future generations.
Speaking of Harry? Harry Harlow may not be known by many people, but when it comes to one of his students, many people may know that Maslow created the "hierarchy of needs theory".
Harlow designed the surrogacy experiment, because psychologists generally believe that "a baby's attachment to its mother is a reward for nutrition", or simply "a mother with milk is a mother".
However, when Harlow studied monkeys, he found that there were some problems in monkeys raised with such a parenting concept, so he had doubts about such a parenting concept. Therefore, he designed and implemented this experiment.
Harlow needs to cultivate monkeys when doing experiments with them. In order to avoid the spread of disease among monkeys, Harlow separated the mother monkey from the baby monkey and only fed the baby monkey with a bottle. According to the popular concept of parenting at that time, monkeys growing up in this environment will be healthier.
But the actual results are quite different from the expectations.
He found that the young monkey liked the velvet that had been placed at the bottom of the cage very much. They would huddle in a corner and hold on to flannel tightly. However, when the experimenter tried to take away the flannel, it was greatly resisted by the little monkeys. They will squeak, lose their temper and even bite the experimenter. On the contrary, if the experimenter just took the bottle, the little monkey's reaction was not so great. More seriously, young monkeys deprived of their mothers are generally timid and mentally retarded.
This result violated the concept of feeding at that time, because the young monkey was not attached to the nipple, but to the towel that did not produce milk. With this question, Harlow designed a cruel "surrogate experiment for rhesus monkeys".
Experimental process:
Harlow designed an isolation box, and two fake monkey mothers were placed in the isolation box: one was a "wire mother" made of cold wire with nipples, and the other was a "velvet mother" wrapped in velvet but without nipples. Then Harlow put a newborn monkey in an isolation box to see which mother it would choose.
According to the attachment theory at that time, young monkeys should obviously choose a "tightrope mother" who can supply milk 24 hours a day, because milk is a bird that can provide food for young monkeys. However, the experimental results are quite different from the prediction.
When they first entered the isolation box, the young monkey was interested in both females and came into contact with them. However, it didn't take long, except for the little monkey who was hungry and ran to find the "tightrope mother", and the rest of the time the little monkey snuggled up to the "velvet mother".
Then Harlow conducted further experiments:
He found some toys that would make a lot of noise or horror and put them in the isolation box. As a result, he found that the little monkey was particularly afraid, and immediately ran to the "mother flannel" and snuggled up to it, as if to get protection from it.
But if Harlow removes the female velvet, even if the little monkey is afraid again, he will not seek protection from the female steel wire.
Moreover, Harlow also found that those monkeys raised by "flannel mother" are generally withdrawn and timid, and even have mating obstacles in adulthood. Later, Harlow redesigned the "surrogate mother" experiment, turning the motionless "velvet mother" into one that can swing and play with young monkeys. After the improvement, the health status of rhesus monkeys has been greatly improved.
Harlow's "surrogate experiment" on rhesus monkeys was cruel and criticized by many people, but he also had an equally great influence on the mainstream psychology at that time.
At that time, influenced by behaviorism and Freudian psychoanalysis, people generally questioned the illusory statement of "love" and thought it was unscientific. People even think that too much intimate contact between mothers and children will breed children's bad habits, so parents are restricted from hugging and touching their children.
One of the most famous is the "crying immunotherapy" invented by behavioral psychologist Watson, which has not been welcomed by many parents until recent years. "Crying immunotherapy" believes that children like to cry because their parents love them too much, and it is precisely because children love to cry that they love to cry. He suggested kissing and hugging children as little as possible. Even if the child cries, he must never be soft-hearted.
But Harlow's surrogacy experiment shows that there is an important variable in love, and that is touch.
The hugs and caresses received by the body in childhood are very important for the growth of children and an important factor affecting the mental health of adults. As parents, we should not only provide food, but also give our children enough "love".
Through the "surrogacy experiment", we can draw a most basic conclusion, that is, parents had better raise their children by themselves, especially children before the age of 3.
This concept is not unusual now. Many parents know it, but they may not know why. Now that I have seen this experiment, I believe my parents understand the reason behind it.
Before the child is 3 years old, he will depend on who he is raising, which is related to the relationship between parents and children in the later period, and whether the child can listen to his parents when educating his children.
Of course, if parents really can't raise them themselves, it's best to let grandparents and other relatives raise them instead of hiring a nanny. Because only relatives will be intimate with their children, hug and touch them, and let them feel love. For nannies, taking care of children is just a job, and it is difficult to provide children with the feeling of "love" like others. And this feeling of "love" will directly affect the mental health of children after adulthood.
Welcome to watch more psychological experiments that have an important impact on education and help parents raise their children scientifically.