The classic work of psychology that introduced attachment theory to the world “The most complete examination of the implications of attachment and loss of mother to infant yet written…Brilliant.” —New York Times In Attachment, psychologist John Bowlby examines the nature of the child's ties to the mother, elucidating the processes of attachment and separation. He demonstrates that human attachment is an instinctive response to the need for protection against predators, and one as important for survival as nutrition and reproduction. The first of three volumes in Attachment and Loss, Attachment offers the fullest expression of Bowlby’s theory of attachment behavior, how it develops, how it is maintained, and what functions it fulfills.