Written by Søren Sonne
Harry's monkeys
Have you heard about Harry's monkeys and comfort? If not, here's what you need to know.
One of the most famous developmental psychology studies is Harry Harlow's developmental experiment with monkeys. He separated baby monkeys at birth and raised them with surrogate mothers. There were two types of surrogate mothers: one made of metal wire and one covered with fabric. Each was equipped with a nozzle from which the baby monkeys could 'suckle' food. The surrogate mother covered in fabric represented comfort. At the end of the experiment, the psychologist saw that the monkeys would choose the fabric surrogate over the wire surrogate. They concluded that it is important to have basic needs, but there is a need for closeness and affection. This experiment justified the importance of comfort and warmth for child development.
Maybe I'm stretching it a little too far, but the way I see it, there is a direct link to behaviour and comfort in the workplace, and especially when there is high stress and little comfort. This is called psychological comfort. If you disagree, please let me know.
Psychological comfort
Psychological comfort refers to a state of emotional wellbeing where a person feels safe, secure and free from stress or anxiety in a particular situation or environment. It implies a sense of safety, trust and acceptance that allows individuals to express themselves freely without fear of judgement, rejection or harm. This concept can be applied in various contexts, such as personal relationships, social interactions or work environments.
Key aspects of psychological comfort include:
1. Emotional safety: feeling safe to express feelings, thoughts and opinions without fear of negative consequences.
2. Trust and acceptance: Believing that others will understand, support or at least respect your perspective and that you will be accepted as you are.
3. Lack of fear: Absence of fear of being judged, ridiculed or harmed emotionally or mentally.
4. Social support: Having a network of people or a community that provides safety, validation and empathy.
5. Control: Feeling that you have some degree of control over your surroundings and circumstances, which contributes to a sense of calm and stability.
Psychological comfort is essential for mental health and wellbeing as it helps individuals manage stress, perform better in work and social situations and build healthy relationships.
For individuals who are selected to bring about changes in processes or work behaviour, it is fundamentally important that they are psychologically comfortable.
As in the picture, a warm fireplace and a nice hot cup of coffee gives me psychological comfort. Many times, at work and for many reasons, I get the same feeling. Somehow the five points have crept up on me. 😊
Do you have any thoughts on this aspect of comfort?
Please contact me for an informal chat. By phone (+45 61209109), online or over a nice cup of coffee.