ambivalent attachment

Meaning: Ambivalent attachment, also called resistant attachment, is one of the insecure attachment styles described from Mary Ainsworth's Strange Situation procedure. The infant is wary of strangers, shows intense distress when the caregiver leaves, and on reunion both seeks contact and angrily resists it. The textbook explanation is that the caregiver responds inconsistently, sometimes warmly and sometimes neglectfully, so the child cannot rely on the caregiver as a secure base and clings anxiously.

On the MCAT: A passage describes a Strange Situation observation, and you classify the infant from its behavior. Typical comparisons: secure: distressed at separation, quickly comforted on return, explores when the caregiver is present ambivalent: very distressed at separation, not easily comforted, mixes clinging with anger avoidant: little distress at separation, ignores or avoids the caregiver on return disorganized: confused, contradictory behavior, often linked to abuse or inconsistent care You may also be asked which caregiving pattern leads to each style, or how attachment relates to later social development.

Common confusion: Students mix up ambivalent and avoidant because both are insecure. The deciding feature is the reaction to separation and reunion. The ambivalent infant is highly upset and cannot be settled, while the avoidant infant shows little visible distress and turns away. Ambivalent also does not mean the infant lacks attachment. The attachment is strong but anxious.