Who Is Harry Harlow? Age, Biography, and Wiki
Harry Harlow was born on October 31, 1905, and is celebrated as one of the most influential American psychologists of the 20th century. Best known for his pioneering work on attachment theory, Harlow's experiments with rhesus monkeys in the 1950s profoundly impacted our understanding of emotional development and the importance of nurturing in organisms. Despite passing away on December 6, 1981, his legacy continues as a pivotal figure in psychological research.
In 2025, if he were still alive, Harlow would be 119 years old, and his contributions to psychology would still resonate in both academic circles and popular media.
| Occupation | Psychologists |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | October 31, 1905 |
| Age | 76 Years |
| Birth Place | Fairfield, Iowa, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Scorpio |
| Country | U.S |
| Date of death | 6 December, 1981 |
| Died Place | Tucson, Arizona, U.S. |
Popularity
Harry Harlow's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
As a historical figure, exact physical statistics such as height and weight for Harlow are not widely documented. However, like many scholars of his time, he was known for a serious demeanor, often reflected in his professional attire. While we may not have specific measurements, his intellectual stature in the field of psychology is undoubtedly monumental.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Harry Harlow was married to his wife, Clare Harlow, with whom he had three children. His family life was somewhat complex, battling personal and professional demands throughout his career. He was known to emphasize the importance of nurturing relationships, and while we can't speculate on hypothetical relationships in 2025, his life undoubtedly reflects the intricacies of human bonds, a central theme in his psychological studies.
Harlow's experiments were ethically controversial; they included creating inanimate wire and wood surrogate "mothers" for the rhesus infants. Each infant became attached to its particular mother, recognizing its unique face.
Harlow then investigated whether the infants had a preference for bare-wire mothers or cloth-covered mothers in different situations: with the wire mother holding a bottle with food, and the cloth mother holding nothing, or with the wire mother holding nothing, while the cloth mother held a bottle with food.
The monkeys overwhelmingly chose the cloth mother, with or without food, only visiting the wire mother that had food when needing sustenance.
Net Worth and Salary
Harlow’s net worth at the time of his death in 1981 was estimated to be modest for an academic. He primarily earned his income through university salaries, grants for research, and published works. Hypothetically, if he were evaluating his legacy in 2025, it could be ascertained that the value of his research and intellectual contributions has soared, leading to a lasting influence in academia rather than substantial monetary wealth.
Career, Business, and Investments
Harry Harlow's career was rooted in academia, primarily at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he conducted groundbreaking studies on attachment theory. His iconic "wire mother" experiments profoundly illustrated the importance of caregiving and emotional support in the development of young mammals.
Harlow was not known for business ventures or investments in the conventional sense; rather, his "investments" were in human understanding and the progression of psychological theory. Through his research, Harlow ignited dialogues on the ethical treatment of animals in research and pushed for more humane methodologies.
Later in his career, he cultivated infant monkeys in isolation chambers for up to 12 months, from which they emerged intensely disturbed. Some researchers cite the experiments as a factor in the rise of the animal liberation movement in the United States. A Review of General Psychology survey, published in 2002, ranked Harlow as the 26th most cited psychologist of the 20th century.
Social Network
In modern terms, if Harry Harlow were present today, he would likely have a vast online following owing to his monumental contributions to psychology. His theories and findings are discussed widely on platforms like Twitter, Reddit, and specialized Facebook groups dedicated to psychological research. Harlow's legacy can still be found in numerous articles, documentaries, and academic forums, emphasizing his continued relevance in psychological discussions.
William Mason, another one of Harlow's students who continued conducting deprivation experiments after leaving Wisconsin, has said that Harlow "kept this going to the point where it was clear to many people that the work was really violating ordinary sensibilities, that anybody with respect for life or people would find this offensive.
It's as if he sat down and said, 'I'm only going to be around another ten years.
What I'd like to do, then, is leave a great big mess behind.' If that was his aim, he did a perfect job." Mason also published articles where he attempted to work through the issue between a scientist's wish to understand the natural world and the "rights" of animals to life and autonomy.
Education
Harry Harlow obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and later received a Ph.D. in psychology from the same institution. His academic foundation laid the groundwork for his pioneering research in attachment theory and maternal care. Given his extensive educational journey, he would no doubt advocate for the importance of educational resilience and critical thinking in the pursuit of knowledge.
Harry Frederick Harlow (October 31, 1905 – December 6, 1981) was an American psychologist best known for his maternal-separation, dependency needs, and social isolation experiments on rhesus monkeys, which manifested the importance of caregiving and companionship to social and cognitive development.
He conducted most of his research at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where humanistic psychologist Abraham Maslow worked with him for a short period of time.
