Making Meaningful Connections
by Empress Ashaki
“The human brain, the entire nervous system is designed to form bonds” ~Touch
One of the few television shows that I am fascinated with is “Touch.” The running theme in its plots is the connection we all share with each other and the universe. The quote above intrigued me, so I did some research to find out if this was true. The first thing I learned about was Attachment Theory.
Attachment theory describes the dynamics of long-term relationships between humans. Its most important tenet is that an infant needs to develop a relationship with at least one primary caregiver for social and emotional development to occur normally. The first relationship an infant forms is with its parent or caregiver. This instinct is derived from the need for security, safety and protection. The quality of social engagement is more important than the amount of time spent, implying that this first stage is the most important stage of emotional development.
Humans begin to form a hierarchy of bonds based on the quality of time spent with other non-caregivers. With age, cognitive development and experiences, we continue to develop in social relationships and our ability to create bonds. The television show appears to be correct.