Until the child develops volitional self-regulation, direct attraction wins. By the way, look at how children are writhing when their attraction rises and they try to restrain themselves.
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Drive — a direct emotional and bodily experience of a need (need) for something; an impulse not yet mediated by conscious goal-setting. Attraction is a craving, a direct impulse to do this or that. This is a thrust from within, going like a movement of the whole body, and, unlike a fleeting impulse, it is a thrust that lasts. Such inclinations in adults are often called: «at the call of the heart.»
Attraction is involuntary, it is born from the body as naturally as a start at a loud blow. Among the involuntary movements that any living creature can produce are the so-called movements of attraction — involuntary turns of the head, turns of the entire body and impetuous gestures towards the object of attraction.
Attraction is involuntary, but always at least to some extent conscious: exactly because the unconscious attraction works as automatism and is often called differently, namely simply a reflex. Usually, the satisfaction of the desire is accompanied by a feeling of pleasure, and the dissatisfaction is accompanied by a feeling of displeasure, however, the attraction of the type of dependence is accompanied by negativity until there is satisfaction, and is not rewarded with anything when the satisfaction of the desire comes.
The attraction itself is involuntary, but even animals can stop their impulses when they are inappropriate. A well-mannered dog will not enter a room, climb on a table, or allow itself to bark, although an ill-mannered dog will in some cases do so. Moreover, any well-mannered person, even a child from the age of more than three years, knows how to oppose the understanding of “possible”, “necessary” or “impossible” to his inclinations. This understanding stops our body, and our eyes, and our hands. A restrained and strong-willed person knows how to completely control his desires and does not allow them to manifest in any way if they are inappropriate.
There is a common belief that holding back your emotional impulses is unhealthy, but this is not entirely true. If a person has never cultivated restraint in himself, if emotional impulses and inclinations are used to freely manifesting themselves or breaking through in his movements and actions, all the more so if a person is convinced of his right to act impulsively and at the call of his heart, if, moreover, a person kindled his desire — then, indeed, an intrapersonal conflict and an emotional storm arise inside a person, which has a bad effect on his well-being and health. If a person has cultivated calmness and restraint in himself, there is no suppression of emotions, he simply makes the necessary decisions and acts as he considers right.