Читать книгу The Handy Psychology Answer Book - Lisa J. Cohen - Страница 155

Generally, attachment is seen as a biologically based, evolutionarily adaptive drive for the infant to seek protection from the mother. When the child is frightened or is separated from the mother, the attachment system is activated and the child will seek proximity or physical closeness to the mother. The child will reach toward the mother, cry to be picked up, or crawl close to the mother. In Bowlby’s view, the child is motivated to attain a sense of felt security, a subjective experience of safety and wellbeing—perhaps a kind of cozy contentment. When the child feels secure, the attachment system is deactivated and the exploratory system is turned on. At these points, the child will venture away from the mother to explore the world, to play. If the relationship with the mother is disrupted through separation or loss, the child will experience great sadness and distress, which can have long-lasting and even lifelong impact, depending on the severity of the loss.

According to attachment theory, children’s powerful attachment to their caregivers evolved to help keep them safe and cared for while they are too young to take care of themselves.