Final answer:
Social deprivation experiments with infants raise serious ethical concerns and are generally considered unacceptable due to the irreversible harm they could cause. Research on infant development and socialization employs less invasive and more ethical methods such as observations and case studies of those who have experienced neglect.
Step-by-step explanation:
Can social deprivation experiments be conducted with infants? This question probes into the ethical and psychological dimensions of researching early human development. The Harlow studies with rhesus monkeys pointed to the intrinsic need for social contact and the preference for comfort over mere sustenance. However, ethically, conducting similar experiments with infants would be deeply problematic due to the potential for long-term harm.Case studies such as that of Oxana Malaya illustrate the devastating effects of social deprivation on children. In their natural environments, children like this unintentionally become subjects exhibiting outcomes of severe social deprivation. These cases provide important data but also underline the profound ethical implications of deliberately subjecting infants to such conditions in a controlled experiment.
Sociological research continues to emphasize the essential nature of social interaction for human development and the formation of self.Researchers like Mary Ainsworth have contributed insights into differences in attachment and bonding through less intrusive observational studies such as the Strange Situation procedure. Such approaches reconcile the necessity for understanding infant development with the imperative to do no harm, adhering to ethical guidelines that protect subjects from undue distress or long-term damage.