In the Ainsworth strange situation, a(n) - child will show inconsistent, often contradictory behavior when the mother leaves and returns.

In the Ainsworth Strange Situation, a child that exhibits inconsistent and often contradictory behavior when the mother leaves and returns is identified as having an insecure-ambivalent attachment style. This attachment style is characterized by the child's clingy behavior on the mother’s return, but also showing resistance and anxiety. These children may become very distressed when separated from their caregiver but are not comforted by the caregiver's return and may display behaviors such as hitting or pushing the mother away. This attachment pattern typically indicates that the child's caregiver is inconsistent in their emotional availability, leading to the child’s ambivalence.