Final answer:
The correct answer to which attachment style involves a child using the parent as a base to explore is 'a. secure'. Secure attachment is when a child prefers the parent over strangers and seeks comfort from them in times of stress.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to attachment styles identified in developmental psychology, particularly those observed in Ainsworth's Strange Situation experiment. When a child uses the parent as a base from which to explore their world, this indicates a secure attachment style.
This attachment is characterized by a child's preference for the parent over strangers, seeking out the attachment figure in times of stress, and showing distress when separated from caregivers, but being able to be comforted upon their return.
In contrast, insecure attachment styles, such as avoidant, ambivalent-resistant, and disorganized, do not exhibit the same consistent use of the parent as a secure base.
The correct answer to the question is:
a. secure