Harlow is our Hooray mascot, but who is Harlow?

The name Harlow comes from an exercise done in the 1950 and 60s carried out by Harry Harlow a known psychologist at the time, which explored the nature of attachment and love.

In the exercise, baby monkeys were given two surrogate mothers, one providing milk, and the other providing warmth and comfort. Harlow observed that, even though the first mother provided food, the baby monkeys spent the majority of the time with the mom that provided shelter and warmth, seeking comfort and security even over food. It showed that emotional security was more important in the formation of attachment than even basic survival needs like food. Harlows findings challenged previous beliefs, particularly the idea that attachment was solely based on feeding.

This exercise helped us understand the importance of nurturing and emotional care in early development, especially for children. It’s not just about feeding or providing for them—kids need warmth, love, and security to thrive. Although the experiment was controversial, it helped shape our understanding of attachment and the deep need for emotional connection. Although the experiment was controversial, it helped shape our understanding of attachment and the deep need for emotional connection.

The exercise highlighted the importance of emotional bonds in early development and the critical role of nurturing in psychological well being.