Certificate In Psychology (CPSY) Practice Exam

In avoidant attachment, as measured in the "strange situation":

1. Infants may or may not cry when their mothers leave the room, and do not seek them out for comfort when they return.

2. Infants cry when their mothers leave the room and seek them out for comfort when they return.

3. Infants become upset when their mothers leave the room, but alternately seek and pull away from them when they return.

4. Infants appear anxious in their mother's presence and are more relaxed and playful when their mothers leave the room.

The correct answer is: Infants may or may not cry when their mothers leave the room, and do not seek them out for comfort when they return.

In avoidant attachment, the correct understanding reflects how infants behave during the "strange situation" procedure. In this context, infants with an avoidant attachment style often show a lack of distress when their caregiver leaves the room and display minimal to no interest in seeking comfort when the caregiver returns. They tend to avoid or ignore the caregiver, indicating a disconnection from emotional needs. This behavior is indicative of the avoidant attachment style, where infants have learned to suppress their emotional responses due to past experiences of caregivers being unresponsive or rejecting. Thus, the description of infants who "may or may not cry when their mothers leave the room, and do not seek them out for comfort when they return" aligns well with the characteristics identified in avoidant attachment. This response showcases the child’s inhibition of seeking closeness, which is central to avoidant attachment behaviors.