Types of Attachment

The secure attachment refers to those who have harmonious and cooperative interactions with their caregiver. They are not likely to cry if the caregiver leaves the room and show some distress when left with a stranger. When feeling anxious, they seek close bodily contact with their caregiver and are easily soothed, but they may be reluctant to leave their caregiver's side prematurely. They seek and are comfortable with social interaction and intimacy. This securely attached infant uses the caregiver as a secure base from which to explore and thus is able to function independently.

The insecure-avoidant is characterised as children who tend to avoid social interaction and intimacy with others. In the Strange Situation, such children show little response to separation and do not seek the proximity of their caregiver on reunion. If the infant is picked up, they show little or no tendency to cling or resist being put down. Such children are happy to explore with or without the presence of their caregiver. They are also characterised by high levels of anxiousness.

The insecure-resistant both seeks and resists intimacy and social interaction. Such children respond to separation from their caregiver with immediate and intense distress, and behave similarly towards strangers. On reunion, such children display conflicting desires for and against contact; they may angrily resist being picked up while also trying other means to maintain proximity.