Harry Harlow was a psychologist who ran test on Rhesus macaque monkeys. He originally ran test on the monkeys to see how the would maternally bond. He would arrange the monkeys with cones covered with towels. He would then have the “mother” shoot cold air or spikes at the infant monkey. This was to stimulate an abusive mother. The point of his original experiment was to see if a child relied on their mother for food or affection.
Then in 1971 his wife died. This lead him to fall into a deep depression which he was treated for. He resumed his experiments at The University of Wisconsin- Madison. He left behind his studies on maternal bonding and depression and isolation began to amuse him. In the beginning, he took baby monkeys away from their …show more content…
The goal was to cause depression in the monkeys. Harlow would let them bond with their mother then after three months lock them in the “Pit of Despair.” These cages were upside down pyramids with slippery sides so the monkeys couldn’t climb up it and a mesh bottom so they could use the restroom. After just days in the Pit of Despair the test subjects would give up. Stephen J. Suomi, a student of Harlow, said that even monkeys with a good childhood would come out damaged. This psychological experiment’s outcome was predictable. Wayne C. Booth said “Harry Harlow and his colleagues go on torturing their nonhuman primates decade after decade, invariably proving what we all knew in advance—that social creatures can be destroyed by destroying their social ties." Monkeys are very social animals, just like humans. You take all contact away from them, and they will suffer dramatically. This is animal abuse. I do not approve of this at all. I feel like this is common sense. It would be no different for a human. Harlow was criticized for his experiments, but it did help the psychological field. No matter what I strongly disagree with animal testing. Animal testing is animal abuse. I understand that it’s easier to test on animals, but if we did it on humans it would be illegal. I do not agree with Mr. Harlow in
Then in 1971 his wife died. This lead him to fall into a deep depression which he was treated for. He resumed his experiments at The University of Wisconsin- Madison. He left behind his studies on maternal bonding and depression and isolation began to amuse him. In the beginning, he took baby monkeys away from their …show more content…
The goal was to cause depression in the monkeys. Harlow would let them bond with their mother then after three months lock them in the “Pit of Despair.” These cages were upside down pyramids with slippery sides so the monkeys couldn’t climb up it and a mesh bottom so they could use the restroom. After just days in the Pit of Despair the test subjects would give up. Stephen J. Suomi, a student of Harlow, said that even monkeys with a good childhood would come out damaged. This psychological experiment’s outcome was predictable. Wayne C. Booth said “Harry Harlow and his colleagues go on torturing their nonhuman primates decade after decade, invariably proving what we all knew in advance—that social creatures can be destroyed by destroying their social ties." Monkeys are very social animals, just like humans. You take all contact away from them, and they will suffer dramatically. This is animal abuse. I do not approve of this at all. I feel like this is common sense. It would be no different for a human. Harlow was criticized for his experiments, but it did help the psychological field. No matter what I strongly disagree with animal testing. Animal testing is animal abuse. I understand that it’s easier to test on animals, but if we did it on humans it would be illegal. I do not agree with Mr. Harlow in