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Human beings form deep bonds with their parents, children, friends, and romantic partners. They even care deeply for their pets, whether it’s a dog, cat, or other animals. These relationships are so important to us that they could trigger emotional pain when rejection or separation occurs.
In other words, humans are one of the most emotionally attached species on the planet. But why exactly did we evolve in this way? Is there a particular reason why humans are more emotionally attached than other animals? Researchers believe the answer is tied to our survival and the very unique way that our species depended on each other for a long period of time.
Human Babies Were Extremely Dependent on Adults
One of the major reasons researchers believe that caused humans to be so emotionally attached is because of how helpless we are at birth and in early childhood. Many animals could actually walk on their own feet and survive by themselves more quickly than we. On the other hand, humans needed years of being cared for before they even began to fully survive independently.
This long childhood may have forced early humans to develop a stronger emotional bond than other animal species. Because without these bonds that resulted in cooperation and caregiving, human infants would have drastically lower chances of survival. So, emotional attachment may have fueled the adults to take care of the young ones.
Additionally, this feature may have also played a role in strengthening family bonds of early human beings. Grandparents, siblings, and extended family members may have helped each other survive because of their strong emotional connection to each other, which could have resulted in dependency on the family or tribe.
Read more: Scientific American
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The Human Brain Became Highly Social
Unlike today’s world, early human beings lived in a much more dangerous environment filled with predators who could overpower them, harsh climates that could cause habitat destruction, and even scarcity of food supplies. While other animal species may have evolved claws, unbelievable strength, or individual hunting capabilities, humans relied heavily on cooperation and teamwork to compete in this world.
Researchers believe that emotional attachment may have strengthened their abilities to work together as a group. It allowed them to trust each other, and even share their food, care for their older and younger members, and cooperate during hunting and migration.
In other words, over thousands of generations, the human beings who were able to maintain these close bonds and develop stronger emotional connections may have been the ones who survived and passed on their genes. This phenomenon could have gradually made the emotional systems in our brains more capable of empathy, loyalty, grief, love, and companionship.
Scientists also believe that humans may have developed stronger emotional attachments because of how complex human life has become. Early humans needed to be able to navigate friendships, allies, and rivalries with other groups, but also maintain connections and cooperation with a whole community of individuals. So, over time, humans who understood others better and have developed emotional intelligence may have been more successful at survival and reproduction.
Read more: ScienceDirect
Author's Final Thoughts
Human beings are one of the most emotionally attached species on the planet, more so than most animals. Researchers believe this is highly likely because of our needs for survival. Unlike others who have developed physical adaptations, humans evolved to depend heavily on relationships and living in groups.
Researchers think that ultimately, emotional attachment may have become one of the defining traits of our species, helping us care for our old and young ones, cooperate in dangerous environments, maintain large communities, and eventually build civilizations across the world.
Read next: 6 Ancient Traits Still Found in Modern Humans — Here’s What They Reveal About Your Deep Ancestry
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