Numerous advances led to Sigmund Freud's inspiring Stages of Psychosexual Development, and it was Freud who introduced a clear theory that explains the process by which children develop into adults. The transition from the oral, anal, and phallic stages begins to help us understand some of the processes that might lead to understanding attachment problems. Freud argued that humans are born “polymorphically perverse,” the idea that any number of objects can be a source of pleasure. While the stress relief observed in a child could be interpreted simply as the absence of emotional pain, on a deeper level, reattachment and physical closeness to a caregiver after a prolonged separation should result in an experience pleasant. Leaving aside for the moment the sexual aspects of Freud's theory, the basis of his premise remains that of human connection achieved through some form of physical contact, whether achieved from others or from oneself. (Stevenson, 2001) In the early 1950s, Harry Harlow's famous study of rhesus monkeys to determine attachment relationships demonstrated that rhesus monkey pups raised in isolation preferred the comfort of a cloth-covered surrogate mother to that of a wire mesh surrogate mother with a baby. bottle attached. Harlow was keen to challenge the traditional view that mother-infant affection and attachment were based on food, and his experiments had clearly demonstrated that the basis of attachment was not associated exclusively with the need for nourishment. A more important aspect of human nature is that the deeply meaningful act of physical intimacy plays a greater role in a child's health than nurturing alone. (Vicedo 2009)However, Harlow was also leading the way towards the under...... middle of paper ......ence of these children and their remarkable ability to adapt positively in the face of adversity, and although there Despite the number of unanswered questions in relation to the biological, cognitive, and social processes experienced during childhood, it is encouraging to know that with further study, this resilience could be encouraged in the daycare environment. (Degnan & Fox, 2007) This article is nothing more than a brief overview of this topic and much other research not included in this article has been devoted to the biopsychosocial influences of genetic predisposition, parents, daycare workers, nursery environment and the many other factors that affect children attending nursery. However, it is encouraging to know that progress is being made in developing a safe, healthy and nurturing environment for our children at this vulnerable age..