What behavior drives attachment behavior in infants?

The behavior that drives attachment behavior in infants is primarily the call for love. Infants are instinctively drawn to their caregivers, seeking comfort, safety, and emotional connection. This innate need for love is essential for their survival and development, influencing their ability to form secure attachments.

When infants cry, reach out, or seek proximity to a caregiver, they are expressing a fundamental urge for affection and responsiveness, which fosters a strong emotional bond. This bond is crucial for their social, emotional, and cognitive growth. As infants engage with their caregivers, this interaction builds a sense of security, allowing them to explore their environment with confidence.

While the other choices relate to aspects of infant development, they do not capture the central driving force behind attachment behavior as effectively. The desire for physical play and the need for companionship, for example, stem from a more developed understanding of social interactions that typically occurs later as the infant grows. Additionally, curiosity is more about exploration and learning than the immediate need for emotional attachment, which is fundamental in the earliest stages of life. The call for love, therefore, encompasses the deep-seated emotional needs that compel infants to seek their caregivers for support and connection.