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* Harry Harlow
* John Bowlby
* Mary Ainsworth
* Jean Piaget

Important Figures in Developmental Psychology

Jean Piaget was an early developmental psychologist whose research provided enormous insight into the cognitive differences between young children and adults. For example, he demonstrated that very young children do not possess object permanence. He is also known for developing specific experimental methods to test his theories, such as the Three-Mountain Task designed to assess egocentrism.

Jean Piaget

Harry Harlow was a researcher who, along with John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth, conducted foundational studies on attachment. In the 1950s, he performed a series of experiments on rhesus monkeys to investigate the mother-infant bond. By presenting newborn monkeys with two surrogate mothers—one made of wire that provided milk and another made of soft cloth that did not—Harlow discovered that the monkeys overwhelmingly preferred the cloth mother. They sought the wire mother only for nourishment but spent the majority of their time clinging to the cloth mother for comfort. This led Harlow to conclude that feelings of comfort and security, rather than just nourishment, are the critical components for forming strong maternal-infant bonds, which are essential for healthy psychosocial development.

Harry Harlow

Building on the research of Harry Harlow and others, John Bowlby formulated the concept of attachment theory. He defined attachment as the emotional bond an infant develops with their mother, asserting that this connection is essential for normal social and emotional growth. Bowlby also proposed that this powerful attachment bond persists throughout an individual's life.

John Bowlby

Mary Ainsworth was a developmental psychologist who investigated variations in the bonds children form with their caregivers. Her research challenged the prevailing 'all-or-nothing' view of attachment by seeking to understand if and why children differ in their bonding styles. To accomplish this, she developed the 'Strange Situation' procedure.

Mary Ainsworth

A researcher observes that infants respond differently to a caregiver's temporary absence in an unfamiliar setting. Some explore freely when the caregiver is present, some are anxious and clingy throughout, and others appear indifferent to the caregiver's presence or departure. What is the most significant conclusion that can be drawn from these varied observations?

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