New study finds wild chimpanzees do not show disorganised attachment
A chimpanzee mother (Xela) nursing her offspring (Xort). Researchers have for the first time identified distinct mother-offspring attachment types in wild chimpanzees.
© Liran Samuni, Taï Chimpanzee Project
To the point
- Mother-offspring attachment in the wild: Wild chimpanzees develop secure or insecure-avoidant attachments to their mothers, but not disorganised attachments, suggesting that it is not a viable survival strategy in the wild.
- Attachment types: Chimpanzees with secure attachment are confident, while those with insecure-avoidant attachment are more independent. Disorganised attachment, common in humans and captive chimps, is linked to emotional and mental health issues.
- Potential parenting lessons: Taking into account the impact of the caregiving environment on attachment types and how early life experiences shape social and emotional development may lead to more effective parenting strategies.
Have you ever wondered how your childhood relationship with your parents shaped the person you are today? Scientists have long known that early attachment to caregivers plays a crucial role in human development, but what about one of our closest relatives, the chimpanzee?
By observing the behaviour of wild chimpanzees in Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire, over four years, researchers discovered that young chimpanzees, like human children, develop different types of attachment to their mothers. Some feel secure, relying on their mother in times of distress and exploring their environment confidently, knowing she is there to support them. Others have insecure-avoidant attachment, which means they tend to be more independent and do not seek comfort from their mothers as much. However, unlike humans, where 23.5 percent of children show disorganised attachment, and captive orphaned chimpanzees, where 61 percent show this type of attachment, wild chimpanzees showed no signs of disorganised attachment.
Wild chimpanzees do not show disorganised attachment
Like human children wild chimpanzees develop critical secure and insecure-avoidant attachment patterns to their mothers. However, unlike humans and some captive chimpanzees, they do not exhibit disorganised attachment.
© Liran Samuni, Taï Chimpanzee Project
In humans, disorganised attachment occurs when a child experiences fear, trauma or aggression from their caregiver. As a result, the child may display confusing behaviours, wanting affection but also fearing the caregiver. This type of attachment can lead to difficulties with emotional regulation, social integration and long-term mental health problems. Disorganised attachment is thought to be maladaptive because it leaves the child uncertain about how to respond in times of distress, potentially hindering their ability to cope effectively and affecting their overall survival.
Captive chimpanzees, particularly orphans raised by humans, often develop disorganised attachment, probably due to the lack of a permanent caregiver. But in the wild, where chimpanzees grow up in stable family groups and face natural survival pressures such as predation, the researchers found no evidence of disorganised attachment. "In the wild, we found no evidence of disorganised attachment patterns, which supports the hypothesis that this type of attachment may not be an adaptive survival strategy in the face of environmental constraints," says first author Eléonore Rolland. This suggests that if disorganised attachment does occasionally occur in wild chimpanzees, these individuals are unlikely to survive or reproduce.
Potential implications for human parenting
Attachment theory is a key concept in psychology that explains how early relationships shape emotional and social development. Secure attachment is associated with confidence and resilience, while insecure and disorganised attachment can be associated with anxiety, stress or difficulties in relationships. The fact that wild chimpanzees showed only secure or insecure avoidant attachment raises new questions about modern human parenting. "Our results deepen our understanding of chimpanzees' social development and show that humans and chimpanzees are not so different after all," says Eléonore Rolland. "But they also make us think: have some modern human institutions or caregiving practices moved away from what is best for infant development?"
Insights into the roots of human social behaviour
"By identifying attachment patterns in wild chimpanzees, we provide important insights into the roots of human social behaviour," says senior author Roman Wittig. This study bridges psychology, animal behaviour and anthropology, shedding light on how attachment strategies have evolved across species. Senior author Catherine Crockford adds: "Our findings suggest that shared attachment strategies in primates may reflect a common evolutionary heritage. The high prevalence of disorganised attachment in humans and captive orphan chimpanzees, in contrast to wild chimpanzees, also supports the idea that the rearing environment plays an important role in shaping attachment types."
These findings bring us closer to understanding both chimpanzees and humans, and encourage deeper reflection on how early life experiences shape social and emotional development across species.
