12 Chapter 1 Figure 1.1 Schematic overview of the theoretical framework and concepts examined in this thesis. MDD = Major depressive disorder. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF AFFILIATIVE BONDS As human beings, we are intrinsically social and have a deeply ingrained need to belong to others. This innate psychological drive to participate and invest in meaningful affiliative bonds is thought to be a heritage of our primal ancestors, who needed to cooperate in a group to gain access to food, shelter, and protection for attack (Allen, 2020). Although nowadays depending on others is no longer a case of life or death, the desire for social connection with others has remained and is reflected in our need to be (literally and figuratively) seen by others and its impact if this desire goes unanswered (Allen, 2020). From this perspective, the longing for social interactions is not merely a desire, but a fundamental need. Attachment theory proposes that the fundament of an individual’s ability to form and maintain social bonds with others is based on the attachment bond with one’s primary caregivers: The attachment figures (Ainsworth et al., 1978; Bowlby, 1969). This theory states that an infant’s early interactions with their attachment figure(s) shapes their attachment bond, and with that their ability to form and engage in other meaningful and satisfying relationships with those around them. One of the main reasons to think that this parent-child attachment bond is of paramount importance is that early positive experiences in the parent-child rearing context have a positive impact on how the socio-emotional pathways in the brain are wired and give a secure base from
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