Which of the following appears to strongly affect the affiliation motive?

A) hormones
B) learning and early experience
C) instinct
D) anxiety

Researchers believe that learning and early experience strongly affect the affiliation motive. People who received warmth and care during their early years tend to establish warm, trusting relationships with others, while those who lacked such care tend to be wary of other people. Hormonal and anxious states may influence the intensity of the motive, but they do not appear to have as strong and consistent effects as learning and early experience. Instinct is a controversial concept and is not widely accepted as an explanation for the affiliation motive.