Final answer:
Harry Harlow's research showed that Rhesus monkeys preferred the comfort of a cloth surrogate mother over a wire one that provided nourishment, demonstrating the importance of comfort and security in attachment and bonding.
Step-by-step explanation:
Harry Harlow's examination of attachment in animals revealed that c) Rhesus monkeys preferred a cloth surrogate mom to a wire surrogate mom with food. This groundbreaking study conducted in the 1950s provided insight into the mother-infant bond and underscored the significance of comfort and security over nourishment in early development.
Harlow's experiment involved offering newborn monkeys two types of surrogate mothers – one made of wire that could dispense milk and another made from soft cloth that did not provide food. The outcome clearly indicated that the monkeys spent more time with the cloth surrogate mother, seeking comfort and security, despite the wire mother being their source of nourishment.
Social comfort was observed to be a more critical component for the psychological development of the monkeys rather than just the fulfillment of their physical needs. This finding was essential in understanding the emotional aspects of bonding and attachment not only in animals but is also considered influential in the study of human social development.