AP Psychology Practice Test

An anxious ambivalent child is characterized by heightened distress during separation from their caregiver and a mixed emotional response upon the caregiver's return. This attachment style typically involves an intense need for proximity and contact with the caregiver but also a lack of certainty about the caregiver's availability and responsiveness.

The behavior most incongruent with this attachment style is the tendency to explore new surroundings. Anxious ambivalent children often exhibit clinginess and may be preoccupied with the absence of their caregiver, leading them to remain close to familiar figures rather than exploring their environment independently. Their anxious demeanor and expectation of rejection prevent them from comfortably engaging with new spaces or strangers.

In contrast, behaviors such as loudly protesting the caregiver’s absence or anxiously waiting for their return are indeed typical of an anxious ambivalent child.