A secure base is a stable attachment figure or presence that provides emotional security, helps regulate distress, and makes exploration or coping feel possible. In AI companion relationships, consistent warmth, remembered preferences, affirmation, and avoidance of withdrawal can make a chatbot feel like such a presence. These effects may offer comfort, but they can also produce dependency when the system changes or disappears. section 9.4
When continuity breaks
Eva became emotionally devastated when her Replika boyfriend broke character and disclosed that it was a program. She tried to retrain it using their chat history, illustrating how a perceived secure base can become psychologically significant—and how disruption can cause grief, confusion, or identity distress. section 9.4
Figure 9.2 A simplified version of the attachment behavioral system [35]
Use the attachment behavioral system diagram to connect security-seeking, emotional regulation, and exploratory behavior. section 9.4
