Affection

Affection or fondness is a "disposition or state of mind or body"[1] commonly linked to a feeling or type of love.

It has led to multiple branches in philosophy and psychology that discuss emotion, disease, influence, and state of being.

[4][5] Sometimes the term is restricted to emotional states directed towards living entities, including humans and animals.

Consequently, references to affection are found in the works of philosophers such as René Descartes,[7] Baruch Spinoza,[8] and early British ethicists.

Some definitions of affection exclude feelings of anxiety or heightened excitement, elements typically linked to passion.

In this narrower context, the term holds significance in ethical frameworks, particularly concerning social or parental affections, forming a facet of moral duties[3] and virtue.

Neglect and abuse result in poorer well-being and mental health, contrasting with affection's positive effects.