Question

The graph given below represents the Attachment Styles in infancy and the percentage of anxiety levels associated with them. Study it carefully and answer the question that follows.

Compare the Styles of Attachment during infancy as represented in the graph.

Answer 1

Based on the graph provided, the comparison of anxiety levels across different attachment styles is as follows:

1. Lowest vs. Highest Anxiety:
   • Secure Attachment has the lowest anxiety level (10%), indicating that infants with this style are emotionally stable and safe.
   • Disorganised Attachment has the highest level of anxiety (50%), which is five times greater than the stable form. This suggests severe emotional discomfort or confusion.
2. Comparison of Insecure Styles (Ambivalent vs. Avoidant):
   • Ambivalent Attachment is associated with high anxiety (40%), implying that these infants may experience severe distress and uncertainty about their caregiver's responsiveness.
   • Avoidant Attachment shows moderate anxiety (20%). While it is twice the anxiety of a confident infant, it is only half that of an ambivalent infant, indicating a different coping method (typically emotional suppression).
3. Overall Trend:
   • There is a strong separation between the Secure and Insecure (Ambivalent, Avoidant, Disorganised) categories. All insecure types have much larger anxiety percentages (varying from 20% to 50%) than the secure style, which has only 10%.