Question

According to Mary Ainsworth, when a child with avoidant attachment style is exposed to the strange situation experiment, he/she will:

a. continue to show signs of distress when the mother returns after a breif absence
b. refuse to play and explore new settings when the mother is not present
c. Show no concern when the mother leaves the room
d. exhibit inconsistent and contradictory behavior toward the mother when she returns.

Answer 1

Children with an avoidant attachment style show no concern when the mother leaves the room in the Strange Situation experiment, indicating a possible history of having caregivers who are insensitive and inattentive.

Step-by-step explanation:

According to Mary Ainsworth, when a child with avoidant attachment style is exposed to the Strange Situation experiment, he/she will Show no concern when the mother leaves the room.

In the Strange Situation, children with avoidant attachment tend to be unresponsive to the parent before separation, do not significantly change their behavior when the parent leaves, and show little or no interest or concern upon the parent's return, treating the parent similarly to a stranger. This behavior is theorized to result from having caregivers who are insensitive and inattentive to their needs.