The ability to cuddle something soft and warm kept normal development on track by providing comfort and security.
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When the experiment was repeated and the monkeys weren't given the option to choose the surrogate mother, the monkeys that were "raised" by the soft terry cloth had an emotional development advantage over those with the wire mesh mothers. Although both surrogates provided nourishment, the monkeys preferred the soft terry cloth when they were given a choice. One machine was made of bare wire mesh and the other was covered in soft terry cloth. In these experiments, Harlow would isolate the infant monkeys from their mothers at birth, having them rely on two different surrogate monkey mothers made from machines. You don't need to take Charlie Brown's word that soft things like blankets provide comfort and security, because a real-life psychologist proved that point in the 1950s.Īccording to the University of Oregon, Harry Harlow conducted various experiments with baby monkeys to learn about relationships formed between infants and mothers, which led to major findings about love and development in human beings. Whether or not you ever carried one yourself, it turns out there's a scientific reason why toddlers - and most adults - love those soft, fuzzy blankets. "See? You just sort of scrunch your face into it, and right away, you feel secure." "They're just the thing to have when you're tired and discouraged," says Charlie. At one point, Linus' good friend Charlie Brown decides to carry a blanket as well, which he describes as a "security and happiness blanket" that "all little kids carry." Schulz's character, Linus van Pelt, was famous for carrying around the same blanket wherever he went. According to Merriam-Webster, most people attribute this phrase to the popular "Peanuts" comics by Charles M. You've probably heard the term "security blanket" before, but you might not be familiar with its origin. (Parents who've made the grave mistake of traveling without said blanket know this all too well.) It has to be that one particularly ratty, tattered piece of cloth they've clung to since birth, or they are inconsolable. Maybe they ask you for it when they're sad, tired or scared.Īnd you know that not just any blanket will do. Perhaps you have a 2-year-old with an affinity for a particular fuzzy blanket they've had forever.
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This story is sponsored by Minky Couture.