Which line of work is associated with the idea that bonding can arise from bodily contact rather than nourishment?

Which line of work is associated with the idea that bonding can arise from bodily contact rather than nourishment?

• A. Strange Situation Experiments
• B. Temperament Studies
• C. Pit of Despair Experiments (Harlow)
• D. Slow to Warm Up Temperament

Answer: (C)

The main idea being tested is that bonding can form from bodily contact and the comfort of touch, not just from nourishment. In Harlow’s infant monkey experiments, baby monkeys showed a clear preference for a soft cloth surrogate that provided warmth and tactile comfort over a wire surrogate that fed them. This demonstrated that attachment is driven more by contact comfort and a sense of security than by food alone. The line of work associated with this finding is the body of research led by Harlow, including his studies often discussed in the context of the Pit of Despair experiments, which explored the effects of social deprivation. The other topics focus on different aspects of development—attachment patterns in the Strange Situation, or inherent temperament traits—rather than the mechanism by which bonding is formed through physical contact.

The main idea being tested is that bonding can form from bodily contact and the comfort of touch, not just from nourishment. In Harlow’s infant monkey experiments, baby monkeys showed a clear preference for a soft cloth surrogate that provided warmth and tactile comfort over a wire surrogate that fed them. This demonstrated that attachment is driven more by contact comfort and a sense of security than by food alone. The line of work associated with this finding is the body of research led by Harlow, including his studies often discussed in the context of the Pit of Despair experiments, which explored the effects of social deprivation. The other topics focus on different aspects of development—attachment patterns in the Strange Situation, or inherent temperament traits—rather than the mechanism by which bonding is formed through physical contact.