Amae: a word of Japanese origin, refers to the emotional bond shared by a child and its mother. In the case of an infant it is expressed as an instinct to suckle the mother's breast. In an adult, amae can manifest itself as a behavior a person exhibits when one knows that one can rely upon another, as a child relies upon its mother. The major proponent of this concept is Japanese psychiatrist Takeo Doi, especially in his book The Anatomy of Dependence.

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