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The Well of Despair a.k.a Pit of Despair 1960's
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The Well of Despair a.k.a Pit of Despair 1960's
Conclusion
Dr. Harlow concluded that even a happy, normal childhood was no defense against depression.
Background Information
This was an unnecessary experiment because the things were obvious like if a child is going to be separated from their mother, of course they are going to suffer from depression. They were, like Mrs. Blum said:" common sense results."
Leading to this type of study, was the fact that his wife had passed away. He suffered from it for some time, but then got back on his feet. He then got interested in researching social isolation. The perfect subjects would then be monkeys. He and his college students took baby monkeys away from their mothers for up to 1 year to observe this theory, after they had bonded for 3-10 weeks. He observed their behavior and reactions.
The dependent variable is social isolation.
No independent variable because it isn't a true experiment.
Confounding factors would be places of isolation and other things with the monkeys.
Operational definitions: Depression; the monkeys would huddle at a corner; they would isolate themselves when released
Methods Used
Dr. Harlow basically executed his experiment by placing infant monkeys in vertical chambers. He would then release them back with other monkeys to see how they would behave. Some of them would suffer from depression or turn psychotic which would eventually lead to death. Others would have offspring and try to see if they can nurture them. This turned out disastrous. Some would have sex with their offspring.
Unethical?
Study Conducted
This experiment was unethical. The monkeys weren't treated for the depression caused, even after they were released. There could have been other alternatives like shorter time periods of the disconnection between mother&child, or place of isolation. He took defenseless creatures and didn't properly care for them because like he said, "[He] doesn't have any love for animals." He used 'rape racks,' 'iron maidens,' and of course his 'well of despair.' Rape racks violated an animal guideline. It wasn't safe for the monkeys to be inseminated and wasn't approved by the committee for its usage.
During the 1960's Dr. Harry Harlow experimented on Rhesus monkeys to research social isolation at the University of Wisconsin. He and his college students exercised such study.
Hypothesis:
This isn't a true experiment because there wasn't a control group. They weren't being compared to monkey's with mothers for a long period of time.
Do monkeys that are separated from their bond with other monkeys suffer from depression, while during and after being isolated?