Twelve-month-old Joshua enters an unfamiliar laboratory playroom with his mother. When she leaves, he gets distressed. When his mother hasn't returned after a few minutes, Joshua stops crying and starts playing listlessly in the far corner of the room. Joshua's behavior is an example of a:
A) hyperactivating strategy.
B) deactivating strategy.
C) denial strategy.
D) protest strategy.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Joshua's behavior of initially getting distressed and then becoming listless and disengaged after his mother doesn't return is an example of a deactivating strategy, where the child seems to detach from the emotional pain of separation and try to cope with it by shutting down emotionally. Hyperactivating strategy involves intense efforts to maintain proximity and attention from the caregiver, protest strategy involves active and persistent attempts to reconnect with the caregiver, and denial strategy involves ignoring or avoiding the separation altogether.

Twelve-Month-Old Joshua Enters an Unfamiliar Laboratory Playroom with His Mother