Harry Harlow (1905-1981)

Professional Life
Harry Harlow was born on October 31, 1905, as Harry Israel. He grew up in Iowa and attended Reed College in Oregon. After getting accepted to Stanford University, Harlow left Reed and entered Stanford as an English major. In 1930, Harry Israel graduated from Stanford as Harry Harlow, with a degree in psychology. Upon graduation, Harlow began teaching at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. While at the University, he oversaw the creation of the Primate Laboratory. Harlow conducted many controversial studies in the laboratory, and it became a top-notch research facility, helping dozens of students achieve their doctorates throughout the years.

Harlow has been recognized for his work with numerous awards, including the National Medal of Science and the Howard Crosby Warren Medal. He served as president of the American Psychological Association for four years and has been a director and advisor to various branches of the armed services.

Contribution to Psychology
Harlow conducted many experiments throughout his career. Some were seen as inhumane, and today would be considered unethical. But these questionable studies led to many of the widely accepted theories on child development throughout the psychological and medical world. From 1957 to 1963, Harlow conducted experiments on baby rhesus monkeys. After removing their mothers, Harlow allowed the monkeys to choose a surrogate mother, made of either wire or terrycloth. Harlow tested to see which surrogate the monkeys would choose depending on whether or not the surrogate had food or was present during a threatening situation. The results of Harlow’s experiment led him to believe that the monkeys that did not receive physically comforting contact were psychologically impaired. The findings, although controversial at the time, have had monumental influences on the treatment of abused and neglected children. Additionally, Harlow’s experiments have contributed significantly to the theories of the importance of physical contact on the psychological development of a child.

Harlow’s experiments have contributed to current studies that have discovered that touch between a mother and child reduces the stress hormone corticosteroid. Research is being conducted continuously to examine the link between physical contact, isolation, and weakened immune systems. Although they met with criticism at the time, Harlow’s experiments on isolation and physical contact continue to spawn new research and revelations in the field of psychology.