Harlow reared rhesus monkeys with a "wire mother" with food or a "soft,terry cloth mother" without food spent most of its time with the "soft" mother.For Harlow,this finding illustrated ___.
A) food is the key element in forming attachment with a caregiver
B) contact is the key element in forming attachment with a caregiver
C) infant monkeys do not truly form attachments to caregivers the way humans do
D) the infant monkeys could only develop an attachment if they overcame the challenge of figuring out which "mother" had food

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Harlow's finding illustrated that contact, specifically the tactile comfort provided by the terry cloth mother, was the key element in forming attachment with a caregiver, rather than food. This finding challenged the prevailing belief at the time that attachment was solely based on the caregiver providing nourishment.

Harlow Reared Rhesus Monkeys with a "Wire Mother" with Food