The Need for Love

Psychologist have performed studies to find out about our basic emotional needs and how they develop.Harry Harlow carried out a series of studies with monkeys that had been taken from thier parents at birth, In one set of studies,Harlow wanted to test whether the young monkey would become attached to parent because these substitutes gave them food.In the cages,he set up two kinds of parents substitutes for each monkey:a wood and wire model and a soft terrycloth doll.In some cages. the wood and wire model held a bottle of food;in other cages,the terry-cloth doll held the bottle.Harlow found that were frightened,whether or not the terry-cloth parent-subsitute held a bottle.He realized that touch is a very important element in establishing relationships.

In another set of studies,Harlow wanted to see how monkeys who had neither parents nor substitutes would  act as they grew up.The monkeys that had been isolated showed differing degrees of apathy or fear.They were indifferent to other monkeys and preferred to crouch alone off to side. As adults,they did not seen to know how to play,or how to defend themselves.The monkeys with cloth parent-substitutes were less disturbed than those with no parents at all.But they were not well adjusted to normal monkey life.Those who were allowed to play with other baby monkeys grew up somewhat normally.Contact with other monkeys turned out to be a fairly good substitute foe attention from a parent.To grow up compelety  normally, however,the monkeys neede contact with both a parent and other baby monkeys.children who,like Harlow`s monkeys,are deprived of thier parents at an early age may deprived of thier parents at an early age may have emotional problems.Savere problems can develop when a child forms no attachment to an adult or when a relationship is broken off when the child is very young.Lack of continuing close relationships is a problem for some children in orphanages and  other institutions.Sometimes such children do not get the  warmth, attention,and sense of security they need.These children may than have problems ralting to other people.
The need to give and recive love continues throughout our lives.It is important for both emotional
and phusical health.People who enjoy close,staisfying relationship with others seem to be less prone
to disease and to live longer than people who do not.