Are relationships necessary for the development of humans?

Daniel Goleman, Ph.D., says "I think there is a variety of evidence for humans, and across a range of species, that says we are basically organisms that need relationships with other people in order to grow, develop, maintain, and sustain ourselves in a variety of ways. You can explain this either spiritually or in an evolutionary way, if you want. We need these relationships, in a whole range of ways, some of which are more tangible than others. We need other people to be able to satisfy our physical needs, but we also need other people to satisfy our emotional or analytical needs. There is a sense, whether you take it from religion or psychology, that people have a need for meaning, coherence, understanding of the world. People need a sense that their life, their existence, has some purpose, and, for many people, that sense of meaning and purpose is defined most proximately, and probably most strongly, by the relationships they have with other people - with spouses; with other family, parents, children; with friends; with people they associate with at work or in voluntary organizations.

Find out more about this book: Love and Survival: 8 Pathways to Intimacy and Health

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