What Monkeys Can Teach Us About The Importance of SUpport

​WRITTEN BY: Jennifer Strout, Founder of MotivateU

Have you ever heard of the wire monkey experiment? It's a study that was conducted on baby monkeys who were taken away from their mothers and placed in cages with either a wire monkey or a cloth monkey. What researchers found was astounding. Despite having the same access to food and nutrition, the baby monkeys who had the wire monkey showed signs of great distress and were unable to thrive. On the other hand, the baby monkeys who had the cloth monkey, which they could cuddle and touch, showed significant improvement in their overall well-being.

​This experiment is a powerful symbol of how crucial the power of human connection is for our physical and mental health. It also highlights the importance of utilizing preventative measures when it comes to our health, rather than solely relying on treatment. Psychologically, one cannot underestimate the impact of connection and support in our lives.

As a society, we must recognize the interconnectedness between our mental and physical health. We cannot separate those and expect to get good results. Instead, we must focus on the preventive measures we need to establish, including nurturing meaningful connections and relationships in our lives. If rather, we completely isolate ourselves from any type of human support and only have artificial intelligence support, which would be the wire, the wire monkey, then we're not going to be able to truly thrive. Like the baby monkeys who were given the comforting cloth monkey, we too must prioritize real human connections for a happy and healthy life.
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As we continue to navigate through the challenges of staying connected with one another, let's remember the lessons from this experiment. Let's prioritize our relationships and human connections, knowing that they're crucial for our overall well-being. We must remember that we are all wired for connection.

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