Explain Why Babies Cry

There are many existing theories that try to explain why babies cry. One example would be the attachment theory which was developed by John Bowlby in the 1950s. According to Bowlby (1958), crying is adaptive as it keeps the caregiver in close proximity which allows the infant to establish and maintain an attachment to them. When an infant experiences heightened arousal, they signal to their caregivers through attachment behaviours like crying (Nelson, 1998). Crying stimulates caregiving behaviours in parents creating a reciprocal pattern of interaction. Hence, as a result of these reciprocal behaviours, both parent and infant are able to develop a mutual attachment.