It is said that most of our personalities are formed by the time...

It is said that most of our personalities are formed by the time we are 7 or 8.
Up until the age of 7 or 8 most of us have an important parent figure, who loves us unconditionally, who we can always turn to for help, and who is capable of resolving, upon request, problems that we are quite incapable of handling. (Those who are not so fortunate likely have a strong desire for such a figure.)
If our personalities and preferences are indeed largely formed by that tender age, is it any surprise that many people feel a need for, and a great comfort in their belief of, a corresponding 'parent' figure for adults?