Final answer:
The child uses the parent as a base to explore their surroundings in a secure attachment style. Caregivers of securely attached children are consistently sensitive and responsive. In contrast, insecure ambivalent-resistant attachment is marked by children's clinginess and rejection of caregiver interaction due to inconsistent caregiver responses.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to the concept of attachment styles developed through the research of Ainsworth and Bell in the 1970s. When a child uses the parent as a base from which to explore their world, it reflects a secure attachment style. Secure attachment is characterized by a child's preference for the parent over a stranger, the seeking of comfort from the parent during times of stress, and using the parent as a stable base for exploration.
Securely attached children display distress when their caregivers leave but are happy upon their return. Caregivers of securely attached children are consistently sensitive and responsive to their children's needs, distinguishing it from an insecure ambivalent-resistant attachment style, where children may exhibit clingy behavior yet reject the caregiver's attempts at interaction. The inconsistent caregiver responses result in these children often being fearful and difficult to comfort.
Insecure avoidant attachment, in contrast, demonstrates unresponsiveness to the caregiver, a lack of concern when the caregiver leaves, and indifference upon their return, reflective of insensitivity and inattentiveness to the child's needs by the caregiver.