Terry cloth mother

Definition

The terry cloth mother refers to a surrogate mother figure in Harlow's experiment that was made of soft terrycloth fabric.

Theoretical Perspectives

The "cloth mother" concept is rooted in attachment theory, which is associated with developmental psychology. It emphasizes the importance of a caregiver's warmth and comfort for an infant's emotional development.

Study And Research Findings

This term originates from Harry Harlow's 1950s experiments on attachment with rhesus monkeys, who preferred a cloth-covered surrogate mother over a wire mother that provided food, demonstrating the importance of secure attachment and contact comfort.

Related terms

Nurturing behavior: Nurturing behavior encompasses actions that provide care, support, and protection to another individual. The terry cloth mother represented nurturing behavior for the young monkeys.

Comfort object: A comfort object is an item or toy that brings feelings of security and comfort to individuals, especially children. The terry cloth mother acted as a comfort object for the infant monkeys.

Reassurance-seeking behavior: Reassurance-seeking behavior refers to actions taken by individuals to seek emotional support or reassurance from others during times of distress or uncertainty. The young monkeys sought reassurance from the terry cloth mother when they were scared or stressed.