title: On the evolution of attachment-disordered behaviour.
abstract: Using an example of a goose which grew up in complete isolation, this article shows how escape behaviour increases through all its developmental steps by lack of a sufficient secure primary attachment object. If a gosling has no mother, its fear influences wide parts of its behaviour and blocks the capacity to approach another animal in order to form a new attachment. But the urge for attachment is still alive and provokes strong conflicts between this urge and fear. In these situations displacement activities and apathy occur--attachment-disordered behaviour. Under partly artificial circumstances, a change to 'normal' attachment behaviour took place by reduction of escape motivation, which enabled the goose to accept her brood. From this moment on the attachment-disordered behaviour, the displacement activity and the apathy disappeared. Implications to human behaviour are drawn--a comparison between displacement activity and neurotic symptoms, the state of apathy and personal disorder. A synthesis of ethological and psychoanalytical models concerning etiological and therapeutic aspects is discussed. Fear and attachment, not aggression and sexuality--our 'animal heritage'--are the primary factors which influence our development. The balance of fear and attachment is the basis for a healthy or unhealthy development of social relationships. This applies to social living animals as well as to humans.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fischer-Mamblona
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004208:Displacement, Psychological; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D005777:Geese; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D009042:Motivation; D009769:Object Attachment; D010553:Personality Development; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012934:Social Isolation