Babies are born unable to keep themselves alive and rely on others to ensure they are fed, watered, kept at the right temperature and protected from harm. Day-to-day survival in the first few years of life requires the availability of another human being to ensure these needs are met. With later development, this need for others becomes less immediate, but never goes away. The disposition of an infant or young child to identify and interact with the person or small set of persons considered most likely to provide them with care and protection is known as attachment.
See our written Attachment Topic Guide
Attachment
