Final answer:
Monkeys deprived of comforting mothers display increased aggression and social isolation, as shown in Harry Harlow's experiments with surrogate monkey mothers. Early social contact is crucial for healthy development, highlighting the importance of comfort and security over just nourishment. This research provides insight into attachment styles and the social and emotional development of primates.
Step-by-step explanation:
The personality traits associated with monkeys that did not have any sort of mother to comfort them, according to studies by researchers like Harry Harlow and his colleagues, were increased aggression and social isolation. In Harlow's experiments, baby rhesus monkeys were presented with two surrogate mothers - one made of wire mesh that could dispense milk, and another made of soft terrycloth that provided no food but offered comfort. The monkeys preferred the terrycloth mother, indicating the importance of social comfort over mere nourishment. When subjected to more severe isolation conditions, these monkeys later exhibited profound social and developmental challenges, reflecting the importance of early social contact for healthy growth and behavioral patterns.
Prior studies had typically assumed that attachment to caregivers was predominantly due to providing nourishment. However, Harlow's work revealed that the need for comfort and security is equally, if not more, vital for healthy psychosocial development. This understanding sheds light on various attachment styles in humans as well, such as secure attachment, where children use caregivers as a secure base for exploration, and avoidant or resistant attachments, which involve different patterns of caregiver interaction and responsiveness. The latter, for instance, might manifest as clinginess and rejection of efforts to interact. These concepts are integral to understanding the outcomes of deprived social contact and the development of social and emotional competencies in primates, including humans.