In an attempt to control and manipulate their children, parents often make their love conditional on the child doing exactly what they want, when they want it, in a way that the parent expects it. The growing child dependent on the on the love of his parents for his sense of security learns that he's safe only when he does what mum and dad want.
Since a child's need for security is an overwhelming need in the formative years, he soon begins to conform his behaviour to the demands of his parents.
When the child grows up, this inhibitive behaviour, the fear of rejection and criticism, triggered by the threatened withdrawal of love or approval, causes him to become hypersensitive to the opinions of others.
In extreme cases, he can't make a decision without worrying about whether other people in his life will completely approve his decision. He feels extremely uncomfortable at the very idea of making any kind of a decision in which someone else might disapprove of or criticise him.
