Chapter 5 Klein: Object Relations Theory 161comes into the room, and after a few minutes the stranger begins a brief interaction
with the infant. The mother then goes away for two separate 2-minute periods. Dur-
ing the first period, the infant is left alone with the stranger; during the second period,
the infant is left completely alone. The critical behavior is how the infant reacts when
the mother returns; this behavior is the basis of the attachment style rating. Ainsworth
and her associates found three attachment style ratings: secure, anxious-resistant, and
anxious-avoidant.
In a secure attachment, when their mother returns, infants are happy and
enthusiastic and initiate contact; for example, they will go over to their mother and
want to be held. All securely attached infants are confident in the accessibility and
responsiveness of their caregiver, and this security and dependability provides the
foundation for play and exploration.
In an anxious-resistant attachment style, infants are ambivalent. When their
mother leaves the room, they become unusually upset, and when their mother
returns they seek contact with her but reject attempts at being soothed. With the
anxious-resistant attachment style, infants give very conflicted messages. On the
one hand, they seek contact with their mother, while on the other hand, they squirm
to be put down and may throw away toys that their mother has offered them.
The third attachment style is anxious-avoidant. With this style, infants stay
calm when their mother leaves; they accept the stranger, and when their mother
returns, they ignore and avoid her. In both kinds of insecure attachment (anxious-
resistant and anxious-avoidant), infants lack the ability to engage in effective play
and exploration.
Secure attachment to caregivers is an important part of the process of developing relationships with
other people. © Ingram Publishing/SuperStock