One of the most terrible animal experiments in history

In the past, many scientists conducted unethical experiments, such as Vipeholm experience e il “monster study”. Although the level of cruelty of these two just mentioned is high, the level that we are going to talk about today is called “well of despairIt has been described as one of the most horrific animal experiments in history.

The experiment was developed by American psychologist Harry Harlow in the late 1960s Hoping to produce an animal model of depressionTo better understand the condition and find possible treatments. During the experiment, a rhesus macaque was placed in a large vertical, cone-shaped structure made of stainless steel.

Inside this place, the monkeys were given food and water, but They were left alone for weeks. Harlow’s goal, as he explained in a 1969 article, was to reverse the emotional feeling experienced by a person with severe depression. The Well of Creation, therefore, was specifically created Transferring a feeling of “lonely” and “desperation” to monkeys.

After being placed inside the hole, the monkeys fell into a “static” state e Wrinkle themselves in a few days. Once removed from this “infernal” place, the creatures will never return to their normal social behavior. The monkeys were exposed to the ‘pit of despair’ for 30 days They didn’t play, avoided social interaction, and showed no signs of curiosityAnd they remained in this state even months after they got out of the well.

Harlow claimed the study’s great potential, but it is unclear whether his experiments provided real insight into clinical depression or possible ways to treat it. The scientist himself claimed during an interview: “I have no love for them [riferendosi alle scimmie]. I really don’t like animals. I hate cats, I hate dogs“.