The human family from ethological point of view: nature or culture?

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to apply an ethological perspective in order to achieve a psychological understanding of the family, taking into consideration the interactions of human nature with development environments. The conception of the family as a purely cultural institution, without any biological substantiation, based on the observation of infant abandonment and infanticide were re-examined. Emotional attachment was presented as being the basic psychological mechanism underlying the constitution of the family. During the evolution of the hominidae, in contrast to that of the other primates, an intensification of family ties and parental care took place, including an increase in the already intense maternal care typical of the primates as well as the introduction of paternal care, rare amongst the larger anthropoids. Emotional attachment was presented as a primary impulse and the conditions essential for its development were analysed. The universal characteristics found in the formation of bonds of affection, the development of the fear of strangers and anxiety resulting from separation were also examined. The existence of the sensitive perinatal period, during which the process of living together facilitates the formation of the bond between the mother and her baby was emphasised in order to illustrate the interaction between genetic and environmental effects. The relationships between kinship, living together and the formation of family ties were taken into consideration. The phenomena analysed were capable of demonstrating the existence of natural predispositions for the creation of family ties as well as revealing the complex inter-determinations between nature and culture. They also showed the need to search for a logic proper to our nature and the natural environment, in contrast to the contemporary development environment.

Keywords: Family, Emotional Attachment, Biological Bases.