Question

when Marcia and Stanley drop their 1 year old son off at day care, he does not seem at all disturbed that they are leaving. he prefers to play by himself or with other kids. when they show up later to pick him up, he crawls away from them. based on this, the toddler is most likely demonstrating an _________ attachment to his parents

Answer 1

The toddler likely shows an "avoidant" attachment style towards his parents, characterized by a lack of response to parental presence or absence and a preference for being alone or with others.

Step-by-step explanation:

Based on the behavior of the toddler who shows disinterest in his parents' presence and absence, as well as a preference for solitude or the company of other kids over interaction with his parents, and his inclination to crawl away when they reappear, it is most likely that the toddler is demonstrating an avoidant attachment style to his parents. This type of attachment is characterized by the child being unresponsive to the parent, not using the parent as a secure base, and displaying little to no preference for the parent over strangers. The origin of avoidant attachment is often linked to caregivers who are insensitive or inattentive to the child's needs, according to Ainsworth and her colleagues' research.