Final answer:
The claim that feeding is more important than contact comfort in establishing attachment is false. Harry and Margaret Harlow's research with rhesus monkeys showed that contact comfort is more significant than nourishment for attachment development. Both Bowlby's and Ainsworth's theories further emphasized the importance of caregivers responding to children's needs and engaging positively for a healthy attachment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that feeding is more important than contact comfort in establishing attachment is false. Research, including the seminal work of Harry and Margaret Harlow with rhesus monkeys, has demonstrated that contact comfort is more crucial in forming attachments. In their studies, rhesus monkeys favored a soft, terrycloth substitute mother that provided comfort over a mesh and wire one that provided food. This underscores the importance of emotional and physical comfort in developing a secure attachment bond.
Further advancing the understanding of attachment theory, Bowlby suggested that a secure attachment necessitates a caregiver being responsive to a child's needs and engaging in mutually enjoyable interactions. Ainsworth's Strange Situation procedure illuminated the variations in how children form these attachment bonds with their caregivers. Hence, the consensus among these researchers is that while feeding and sustenance are obviously necessary for survival, the role of contact comfort and secure attachment is paramount for proper social and emotional development.