I think we are acting our emotional age at that moment. The age where development got stuck or interrupted. And we didn't grow and learn how to be more independent and able to voice our needs directly. I think we act what we don't have words for, yet. A young child can pout because they are hurt/angry/disappointed when they had an expectation that was wasn't met; but they don't have words for the expectation, or the disappointment/anger/hurt.

With therapy, I have seen a change in both my expectations and my having words for experiences that have helped me many times.