It is a very interesting theory and very revealing about the importance of commitment during the first years of life.
At the time provided a new vision of human behavior at a time when it was considered inappropriate for the development of psychological and physiological load baby in her arms, besarlo, acurrucarlo, embrace and have contact beyond the need to feed.One position that we must now ask for rescue where we are and where we are going in the way of upbringing. Anyone who studied this new vision has been the American psychologist Harry Harlow (1905-1981), famous for his studies related to the upbringing and emotional deprivation made in the decade of macaques? 60. Gary Kelly describes an additional similar source.
One of his best known work is one that confirms the call? Theory mother soft? Or the surrogate mother, an investigation based on the behavior of the offspring of rhesus monkeys.
The investigation consisted of separating the offspring of his biological mother monkey and replaced by two mothers artificial: a fabricated metal with a network provided with a bottle and the other made in plush and without food.
Which of the two mothers who chose to believe the offspring? Only when they felt hungry they would quench their need with food that gave them kudos metal, but all the rest of the time stayed close to heat and the soft texture that they provided mom plush. Even served them protection, as it approached her to take shelter when something frighten them. There were approaching the mother who gave them food, but one that gave them security.
When the offspring were transferred to a new habitat was clinging to the mother plush until they felt confident out to explore on their own, always returning to the mother? Light? To seek repair. However, when the offspring were transferred to a new habitat without her mother acted very differently: started to shout, to mourn, it chupaban finger and looking for her? Soft object? Everywhere.
When they met again with his mother clung to it without daring to leave, which reveals that the need for protection is above the need to explore.
In the image above you can see how the baby monkey attends a surrogate mother to take the metal bottle, but while having physical contact with the mother gentle.
Another interesting aspect of the study was that the offspring of the mother of wire as those of the mother plush gained weight at the same pace but with a difference, that the first had diarrhea more often. Harlow interpreted as not having contact with the mother meant to them babies added stress factor in its digestion.
What this study tells us? For a start, that the need for contact is instinctive and basic babies. Then, the need for affection, protection and security provided by a mother is more than the need for food. The food is important and necessary, but it is not more than affection. We especially reveals the critical importance of maternal attachment during the first years of life to raise children themselves confident, healthy and independent.
Rescato a sentence Punset documentary on the brains of babies that I was saved: for a truly independent human being must have been the first baby dependent.
Traslademos this example to humans and the way in which we raise our children. Will meet their needs for affection? Do they provide adequate containment to be able to explore the world safely? Are we there when weep when we need them, when they are searching for the security of some arms to calm down? Will try to establish such affectionate ties are so important to their development?
In short, there are many questions to which every parent should consider trying to find their own answers.
In conclusion, which I think is surprising that these investigations have come to light 50 years ago and we are still debating whether we should mourn leave the baby in the crib or if malcriamos by loading arm.