DOUBLE TAP TO ZOOM WITH PHONE OR TABLET 10 CHAPTER 1 THE GIVE AND TAKE OF EARLY RELATIONSHIPS The term attachment describes the close bonds between humans that stem from seeking comfort, stability, and protection from one another (Bowlby 1982; National Research Council and Institute of Medicine 2000). Tradi- tionally, this term is used to describe the nature of the relationship between children and their caregivers. Attachment research began with very young children and their parents. However, there is also a large body of research examining attachment relationships throughout adolescence and adult- hood (National Research Council and Institute of Medicine 2000). The attachment relationship between a caregiver and child occurs through the process of back-and-forth interactions, sometimes called serve-and-return inter­actions. Through these daily exchanges, babies are able to learn about the stability and predictability of their environment, and learn to trust the COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL