Harry Harlow in his study The Nature of Love looked at how monkeys reacted in different situations. In his experiments he had baby monkeys in cages with either a cloth monkey that would deliver food to the baby monkey or a wire monkey that would deliver food to the baby monkey. In the study it was found that the monkeys in both cases ate the same amount of food and gained the same amount of weight. However, the monkeys that had the wire monkey mom had problems with digestion and problems with diarrhea. Further, these monkeys were tested by putting them in situations that would frighten them and they would run to the cloth monkey but when the cloth monkey was not around they would freeze.
Another interesting fact that came from this experiment was that when the monkeys were taken away from the cloth monkeys for several days when reunited they would play with the cloth monkey ignoring other objects in the room that the monkey had normally played with.
Harlow points out that the key to successful parenting is contact comfort which means that both parents need to be involved.
In creating our characters we need to understand where our MC get there contact comfort from and explore how this looks in our characters if they have had to much or to little.
Tidbit: I have four wonderful children!
Poor monkeys. Sometimes I think that I had cloth parents too.
ReplyDeleteI've heard of that experiment--I feel bad for the monkeys in the cages with the wire mother.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting how strongly people are shaped by contact comfort; definitely something to consider in relation to characters.
great point...you are right and also how it affects them when they can not get it...affecting mood...affecting attitude...and ultimately actions...
ReplyDeleteAnecdotal evidence: People without enough such contact when young may grow up looking for it in all sorts of unsuitable places.
ReplyDeleteForgetting the human connection de-humanizes most characters. There are the few antagonists that intentionally reject human connection or play with them like a cat would it's pray. That is why some characters are far more sinister than others. Like the one in Othello. Very cold and ruthless because he treats human connection as a cat would a mouse it has caught.
ReplyDeleteCan I say that I love your tidbits? I love your tidbits. Also, the monkey study is fascinating--poor little monkeys!
ReplyDeleteI have seen video of that particular experiment. It was quite sad but revealing.
ReplyDeleteWow! Four kids. How do you find time to write?
Four? Yikes!! Interesting study. My daughter is writing a speech on the important part two parents play in a Childs life. Funny, since she really only has me.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that the parent doesn't just have to be present but has to offer comfort of some sort. You can't just have a parent in the background offering necessities, they have to play a more important role as well. There are times in YA books I feel like the parents are just thrown in, as wire monkeys, because it wouldn't be practical to have a child living on their own but then it isn't realistic. Nice post.
ReplyDeleteI need ALL the things \o/!
ReplyDeleteReally good information. Children do need 2 parents with commitment and love. But some people don't have that. Where do they find their comfort? Drugs? Praise? Money? Faith? Appearance? What are the consequences of their comfort? It's an interesting question. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI'm with Sarah here, they'll get it somewhere, but maybe not in the appropriate places. This experiment is so sad. All you need is love!
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