AP Psych 3.6a Reading Questions, 2025-26

Using the reading, explain how understanding attachment theory could help you recognize and respond to a distressed child in your community.

• a. Define what secure attachment means and identify two key behaviors that demonstrate it in young children.

• b. Describe two specific situations where you might encounter a child showing signs of insecure attachment (anxious, avoidant, or disorganized).

• c. Explain how recognizing these attachment patterns could guide your response to help the child feel safer and more supported.

Compare the Harlows' findings about contact comfort to modern parenting practices you observe in your community.

• a. Define "contact comfort" and explain what the Harlows' monkey experiment revealed about attachment formation.

• b. Describe how you see parents today providing (or not providing) physical comfort to their children in public spaces or family settings.

• c. Analyze whether modern technology and busy lifestyles might be affecting the quality of contact comfort between caregivers and children.

Imagine you are counseling a new parent who believes that being "too affectionate" will spoil their baby.

• a. Use the research on attachment formation to explain why responsive caregiving actually promotes healthy development rather than spoiling.

• b. Provide two specific examples from the reading that demonstrate the long-term benefits of secure attachment relationships.

• c. Reflect on how you would address the parent's concern while respecting their cultural background and values.

Evaluate the claim that "nature and nurture both matter" in attachment development using evidence from the reading and your own observations.

• a. Define temperament and explain how it interacts with parenting to influence attachment styles.

• b. Provide one example from your own family or social circle where you can see both inherited traits and environmental factors shaping a child's social development.

• c. Conclude with your judgment: Which factor (nature or nurture) seems more influential in determining attachment security? Justify your answer using research evidence.

Consider the research on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Choose two types of adversity mentioned in the reading and explain how they create lasting effects on development.

• a. Define what adverse childhood experiences are and identify the two types of adversity you're focusing on.

• b. Describe specific ways each type of adversity affects brain development, behavior, or future relationships according to the research.

• c. Analyze how understanding these effects could inform policies or programs designed to help at-risk children in your community.

The reading describes four different parenting styles. Why is it important to understand that "authoritarian" and "authoritative" parenting produce different outcomes despite sounding similar?

• a. Define both authoritarian and authoritative parenting styles using specific characteristics from the reading.

• b. Explain how confusing these two styles could affect a parent's understanding of effective discipline and child development.

• c. Provide an example of a situation where a parent might think they're being authoritative but are actually being authoritarian, and discuss the potential consequences.

Imagine a society where children are raised primarily by institutions rather than individual families. Based on the research presented, predict how this might affect the social-emotional development of these children.

• a. Define the concept of attachment and explain why individual caregiver relationships are important for healthy development.

• b. Predict one specific problem that might arise in emotional regulation, social relationships, and self-concept development based on the Romanian orphanage research.

• c. Argue whether or not you believe institutional care could ever adequately replace family-based attachment relationships, supporting your position with evidence from the text.

The reading emphasizes that "parents matter" and that fathers are "more than just mobile sperm banks." What does this research suggest about society's responsibility to support healthy family relationships?

• a. Summarize the research findings about the importance of both maternal and paternal involvement in child development.

• b. Give one example of a current social issue or policy debate where this research could inform better support for families (such as parental leave, childcare, or family services).

• c. Reflect on how understanding attachment research might influence your future role as a parent, educator, or community member in supporting children's social-emotional development.