Final answer:
An insecure-avoidant infant typically avoids interaction and shows little emotional response when their mother returns after a brief separation, demonstrating a behavior indicative of a caregiver who has been insensitive and unresponsive to their needs.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context of basic attachment styles, an insecure-avoidant infant is likely to show little or no response upon the return of their mother after a brief separation. According to research by Ainsworth and her colleagues, insecure-avoidant children typically do not use the parent as a secure base, and they do not seek comfort from the parent when distressed. This behavior is often the result of having a caregiver who is insensitive and unresponsive to their needs. Such children might react to the caregiver similarly to how they would react to a stranger, which is with indifference or avoidance.
The Strange Situation procedure developed by Ainsworth is a method used to observe attachment relationships between a caregiver and child. Its findings help distinguish among the different types of attachment: secure, insecure-avoidant, insecure-resistant, and disorganized. Insecure-avoidant children, in the face of reunion, might avoid contact and interaction with the caregiver, showing little emotional response.