--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So far as love or affection is concerned…" description: "\"So far as love or affection is concerned, psychologists have failed in their mission. The little we know about love does not transcend simple observati..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da1/harry-harlow-241635_affection_so-far-as-love-or-affection-is-concerned_1547896.png" --- # So far as love or affection is concerned, psychologists… ![“So far as love or affection is concerned, psychologists have failed in their mission. The little we know about love does not transcend simple observation, and the little we write about it has been written better by poets and novelists.” quote by Harry Harlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da1/harry-harlow-241635_affection_so-far-as-love-or-affection-is-concerned_1547896.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da1/harry-harlow-241635_affection_so-far-as-love-or-affection-is-concerned_1547896.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da1/harry-harlow-241635_affection_so-far-as-love-or-affection-is-concerned_1547896.png) > “So far as love or affection is concerned, psychologists have failed in their mission. The little we know about love does not transcend simple observation, and the little we write about it has been written better by poets and novelists.” [Harry Harlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-harlow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Psychology has struggled to fully understand love, with poets and novelists often expressing it more profoundly than scientific observation. **In simple terms:** Science lags behind poetry in love. Key Takeaway value poetic insight. Themes love psychology art Mood reflective inspired Type Affection:1 Concerned:0 Doe:0 Goals:0 Littles:0 Love:1 Love affection:0 Missions:0 Novelists:1 Observation:1 Poet:1 Poetry:1 Psychologist:1 Simple:0 Writing:0 Affection Concerned:0 Concerned Psychologists:0 Psychologists Failed:0 When to use this quote - relationship counseling - literary analysis - creative writing workshops Key Concepts subjectivity emotional depth creative expression Questions to Reflect On - How can science better study love? - What can poetry teach scientists? A Different Perspective Science may capture some aspects of love. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection/) [Affection Concerned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection-concerned-5779384/) [Concerned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concerned/) [Concerned Psychologists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concerned-psychologists-5779385/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love affection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-affection/) [Missions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missions/) [Novelists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novelists/) [Observation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/observation/) [Poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Psychologist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychologist/) [Psychologists Failed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychologists-failed-5779386/) [Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I would never have been a novelist without working as a psychologist...it was a great education in human nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kellerman/i-would-never-have-been-a-novelist-without-working-as-a-psychologist/) [Jonathan Kellerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kellerman/) > [If you want to understand human beings, there are plenty of people to go to besides psychologists… Most of these people are incapable of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-standen/if-you-want-to-understand-human-beings-there-are-plenty-of-people-to/) [Anthony Standen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-standen/) > [You are love. You yourself as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-love-you-yourself-as-much-as-anybody-in-the-entire-universe/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I love the affection that people in Gujarat shower artists with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roop-durgapal/i-love-the-affection-that-people-in-gujarat-shower-artists-with/) [Roop Durgapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roop-durgapal/) > [Im so much in love, I feel like I'm on top of the world when I see you, when I feel your love loving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-ayala/im-so-much-in-love-i-feel-like-i-m-on-top-of-the-world-when-i-see-you/) [Alexandra Ayala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-ayala/) > [Money is no objective. Look into people's souls and hearts. Do we have to like someone because of his/her appearance, character, age, color, gender,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abd-abood/money-is-no-objective-look-into-people-s-souls-and-hearts-do-we-have/) [Abd Abood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abd-abood/) > [What is going on with you?" she says, shaking her head and pushing me away. "What's up with all the love and affection? I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyson-noel/what-is-going-on-with-you-she-says-shaking-her-head-and-pushing-me/) [Alyson Noel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyson-noel/) > [I would love to team up with Salman sir because he has great love and affection for me and so do I.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devi-sri-prasad/i-would-love-to-team-up-with-salman-sir-because-he-has-great-love-and/) [Devi Sri Prasad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devi-sri-prasad/) > [Joy, like love, is an impenetrable, God-given state of being. The distinctions between joy and happiness and love and affection are important ones under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/joy-like-love-is-an-impenetrable-god-given-state-of-being-the/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Don't waste time with a person who not showing you love and affection back, like you show them love and affection because they just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nojay-moon/don-t-waste-time-with-a-person-who-not-showing-you-love-and-affection/) [NoJay Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nojay-moon/) > [“Love isn’t something to be stressed about.  It has a life of its own.  A little weeding here and there, some water and lots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mccoubrey/love-isn-t-something-to-be-stressed-about-it-has-a-life-of-its-own-a/) [Heather McCoubrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mccoubrey/) > [You have to create love and affection for your body, for what it can do for you. Love must be incarnated in the smallest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-k-s-iyengar/you-have-to-create-love-and-affection-for-your-body-for-what-it-can/) [B.K.S. Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-k-s-iyengar/) > [You, yourself, as much as anybody else in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/you-yourself-as-much-as-anybody-else-in-the-entire-universe-deserve/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [I am convinced that human nature is basically affectionate and good. If our behavior follows our kind and loving nature, immense benefits will result,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/i-am-convinced-that-human-nature-is-basically-affectionate-and-good/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [You can explore the universe looking for somebody who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-explore-the-universe-looking-for-somebody-who-is-more/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Affection quotes > [My team and I have reunited two elements that coexist with diffiulty: respect and affection, because when they love you they don't respect you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/my-team-and-i-have-reunited-two-elements-that-coexist-with-diffiulty/) [Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/) > [Needs cause motivation. Deep-rooted desires for esteem, affection, belonging, achievement, self-actualization, power, and control motivate us to push for what we want and need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/needs-cause-motivation-deep-rooted-desires-for-esteem-affection/) [Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/) > [“It is to build a house with affection, even as if your beloved were to dwell in that house.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/it-is-to-build-a-house-with-affection-even-as-if-your-beloved-were-to/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [I, measuring his affections by my own, Which then most sought where most might not be found, Being one too many by my weary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-measuring-his-affections-by-my-own-which-then-most-sought-where/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [A lost love. Deny it who will, ridicule it, treat it as mere imagination and sentiment, the thing is and will be; and women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/a-lost-love-deny-it-who-will-ridicule-it-treat-it-as-mere-imagination/) [Dinah Maria Murlock Craik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/) > [Affection! Affection is false.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/affection-affection-is-false/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [We are a spectacular, splendid manifestation of life. We have language. . . . We have affection. We have genes for usefulness, and usefulness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-a-spectacular-splendid-manifestation-of-life-we-have-language/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [Listen, I have a great affection and respect for Joe Biden. I think he's been a great vice president. He's taken on a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-axelrod/listen-i-have-a-great-affection-and-respect-for-joe-biden-i-think-he/) [David Axelrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-axelrod/) > [The still affection of the heart Became an outward breathing type, That into stillness past again, And left a want unknown before; Although the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/the-still-affection-of-the-heart-became-an-outward-breathing-type/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [I am persuaded that there is no affection of the human heart more exquisitely pure, than that which is felt by a grateful son…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/i-am-persuaded-that-there-is-no-affection-of-the-human-heart-more/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [If you live in a material universe where acquiring things is very important to you, then family is an absolute deterrent to maintaining that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor-gatto/if-you-live-in-a-material-universe-where-acquiring-things-is-very/) [John Taylor Gatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor-gatto/) > [Our sweetest experiences of affection are meant to be suggestions of that realm which is the home of the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/our-sweetest-experiences-of-affection-are-meant-to-be-suggestions-of/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [“Georgia O’Keeffe moved to rural New Mexico, from which she would sign her letters to the people she loved, “from the faraway nearby.” It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/georgia-o-keeffe-moved-to-rural-new-mexico-from-which-she-would-sign/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) [Browse all 2,465 Affection quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "So far as love or affection is concerned, psychologists have failed in their mission. 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