A study on over 4,000 hours of observation in the Taï park reveals that chimpanzees develop only organized mother-child ties, challenging the idea that all human attachment styles have evolutionary roots.
A recent study conducted in the Taï National Park, in the Ivory Coast, revealed that the wild chimpanzees do not show signs of disorganized attachmenta form of unstable emotional bond frequently observed in humans and chimpanzees raised in captivity. This discovery suggests that disorganized attachment may not be an evolutionary adaptive strategy in high risk natural environments.
The study
The researchers observed 50 young chimpanzees for over 3,700 hours, monitoring their reactions to stressful events such as sudden aggressions or strong noises. Using machine learning techniques, they identified Two main attachment styles: safe and insecuro-inviting. No behavior has been detected attributable to the disorganized attachment.
According to Eléonore Rolland of the Institute of Cognitive Sciences Marc Jeannerood:
We did not find evidence of disorganized attachment in wild chimpanzees, unlike what has been observed in human beings and orphaned chimpanzees grown in captivity. (…) However, we have observed clear individual differences that aligned with the recognized human attachment models, in particular with the safe and insecure-vitative types. This suggests that the attachment system is deeply rooted in our evolutionary past and can work similarly among species in certain contexts.
This indicates that the disorganized attachment could emerge mainly in artificial environments or in conditions of non -natural stress.
Attachment styles
Psychologists distinguish four main attachment styles, classified on the basis of how infants react to the stress and emotional availability of the caregiver: attachment Safe It is considered the healthiest and most adaptive.
This study is evil a widespread belief, according to which all human attachment styles would have the same evolutionary foundation. In reality it is not so: the disorganized attachment, with its contradictory and fearful behavior (approach and at the same time escape), does not seem to have any parallel in the animal world.
A chimpanzee puppy who, in front of a danger, hesitates whether to run towards the mother or move away from her, would risk blocking himself at the decisive moment. This behavior does not represent an adaptive strategy, but rather a “technical problem” which in nature is quickly eliminated by natural selection. In humans, however, if the disorganized attachment develops in a protected environment, without predators or immediate dangers, this problem can persist and become chronic
Implications for understanding human attachment
In humans, as mentioned, the disorganized or disoriented attachment occurs when the child perceives the parent or the figure of attachment both as a source of protection and danger and usually develops in response to experiences of abuse neglect or unstable family environments. In practice, the child cannot develop a coherent attachment strategy oscillating contradictory behavior towards the parent. The fact that this type of attachment is not present in wild chimpanzees suggests that it could be an evolutionary “error” that manifests itself in environments where threats to survival are reduced.
This study highlights theimportance of the environment in modeling emotional bonds And it suggests that the attachment system has deep roots in evolution, but its expression can vary significantly according to living conditions.
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