In the absence of their mothers in the “strange situation,” which children are as likely to establish the best relationship with a stranger?

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The question asks: In the absence of their mothers in the “strange situation,” which children are as likely to establish the best relationship with a stranger?

Option 1: secure. Securely attached children seek caregiver support when distressed and tend to approach strangers with caution, not as a rule forming the strongest bond with a stranger. Their typical pattern is more about relying on the caregiver than engaging freely with unfamiliar adults, so claiming they establish the best relationship with a stranger in the mother’s absence overstates their tendency.

Option 2: disorganized. Disorganized attachment is characterized by inconsistent, often contradictory behaviors toward caregiver and stranger, including confusion or apprehension. This pattern would not predict a consistent ability to form the best relationship with a new person like a stranger; in fact, it indicates instability in attachment behavior across situations.

Option 3: avoidant. Avoidant children show minimal distress when the caregiver leaves and tend to be more socially independent, often treating the stranger with relative neutrality or even warmth compared to avoidance of caregiver contact. In the Strange Situation, their reduced protest at separation and ease with strangers align with a greater likelihood of forming rapport with a stranger when the mother is absent, compared with other patterns.

Option 4: resistant/ambivalent. Resistant (ambivalent) children become highly distressed when the caregiver leaves and are ambivalent or difficult to soothe upon return. They typically exhibit heightened anxiety around the caregiver and may react cautiously or negatively toward strangers as well, which does not align with forming the best relationship with a stranger in the mother’s absence.

In evaluating these options, the reasoning hinges on the characteristic responses each attachment style shows toward strangers and during separations. The secure pattern emphasizes caregiver-derived security, disorganized reflects inconsistency, resistant/ambivalent signals distress and neediness, while avoidant patterns show a tendency toward independence and reduced distress in the presence of strangers, making them more likely to establish a rapport with a stranger when the mother is not available. The remaining options do not predict a favorable or stable relationship with a stranger in this specific context as clearly as the avoidant pattern does.

PSYC-312-02 Quiz Chapter 6

In the absence of their mothers in the “strange situation,” which children are as likely to establish the best relationship with a stranger?

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