The brain prioritizes predictability to ensure our survival, which unconsciously drives us to repeat familiar but destructive relational patterns, as novelty (even when healthy) is perceived as unsettling.

noli's read

This concept rests on a solid foundation in psychology and cognitive science. On one hand, the predictive brain theory, supported by the work of neuroscientist Karl Friston (theoretical models and neuroimaging), confirms that our brain constantly seeks to minimize uncertainty to conserve energy and ensure our survival. On the other hand, John Bowlby's attachment theory, validated by decades of observational and longitudinal studies (notably by Hazan and Shaver on adult attachment), demonstrates that our earliest interactions create internal models that guide our future emotional choices. Research in Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) initiated by Anthony Ryle (expert consensus and clinical studies) also confirms the tendency to repeat these reciprocal roles learned in childhood. While the expression that the brain prefers a 'familiar hell' is a simplified metaphor, it faithfully illustrates our natural resistance to change when faced with the unknown. Thus, the psychological explanation is quite robust, even if the reality of human behavior also incorporates broader social and environmental factors.

the sources

No named source held this one up — that absence is part of the verdict.