What was the significant finding of Harlow's experiments on monkeys reared by surrogate mothers?

• A. Monkeys reared by surrogate mothers developed normal social behaviors and relationships.
• B. Monkeys showed no preference between the cloth and wire surrogate mothers, indicating that food is the only factor in attachment.
• C. Monkeys formed stronger attachments to the wire mother that provided food than to the cloth mother that provided comfort.
• D. Monkeys preferred the cloth surrogate mother over the wire mother, demonstrating the importance of comfort and emotional security in attachment.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the context of Harlow's experiments: Harlow studied infant monkeys raised with two types of surrogate mothers—one made of wire that provided food, and one covered with soft cloth that provided no food.
2. Identify the main research question: Harlow wanted to determine whether attachment in infant monkeys was based primarily on the provision of food or on comfort and emotional security.
3. Examine the monkeys' behavior: Observe which surrogate mother the monkeys spent more time with and sought comfort from, especially when frightened or stressed.
4. Interpret the findings: Note that monkeys showed a clear preference for the cloth mother over the wire mother, even though the wire mother provided food, indicating that comfort was more important than nourishment in forming attachment.
5. Conclude the significance: This finding challenged the then-prevailing belief that attachment was solely based on feeding, highlighting the critical role of emotional security and comfort in social and emotional development.