A Level Psychology OCR Practice Exam

During the experiment, how did some infants react when their mothers stood on the cliff side?

1. They crawled towards the cliff

2. They cried when they could not reach her

3. They ignored the mother's calls

4. They showed no emotional response

The correct answer is: They cried when they could not reach her

The choice that indicates infants cried when they could not reach their mothers on the cliff side is supported by attachment theory and research into the emotional responses of infants in situations of perceived separation or danger. In studies examining how infants react to separation from their caregivers, it has been observed that when a caregiver is out of reach or in a situation that the infant interprets as threatening, such as standing at the edge of a cliff, the infant may exhibit distress. This crying signifies a strong emotional bond and the inherent fear of separation, which is particularly prominent in securely attached infants. Their emotional response reflects a natural instinct to seek closeness to their caregiver for safety and comfort. The other options do not align with the expected behaviors typically observed in studies involving infants and their emotional responses to caregivers. Crawling towards the cliff may suggest a lack of understanding of danger and does not accurately reflect the attachment behavior and instinctual responses of infants. Ignoring mother's calls and showing no emotional response would indicate either a detached attachment style or a lack of recognition of the situation which is inconsistent with common research findings on attachment in infancy. Each of these options does not adequately capture the emotional complexity of an infant’s reaction to separation or perceived danger, which reinforces the choice of infants crying when unable