Ainsworth Starnge Situatioms

Question 1

Outline strange situation study

Answer 1

-Ainsworth

-Controlled observation, lab experiment, around 100 babies
-Mother placed in room with child with toys.
Observing:
Separation anxiety (mother leaves room)
stranger anxiety (stranger enters room tries to comfort child)
reunion behaviour (how the infant reacts on mother’s return)
Mother as safe base (the child’s willingness to explore)

Question 2

What are the three types of attachment

Answer 2

Securely attached (type b)
Insecure avoidant attachment (type A)
Insecure resistant attachment (type c)

Question 3

Type b- Secure attachment

Answer 3

• explore the room using mother as safe base at times
• mild stranger and separation anxiety
• joyful at reunion of mother

-mother is sensitive and responsive to child,

Question 4

Type A- insecure avoidant

Answer 4

• no stranger or separation anxiety
• explode without using mother as safe base
• little interest at mothers return

These mothers sometimes ignored their infants

Question 5

Type c - insecure resistant

Answer 5

• intense distress at separation and stranger anxiety
• didn’t explore stay near mum so no safe base
• reunion behaviour- cries for mums attention but rejects her as punishment for leaving.

-don’t trust, clingy, mother shows mixed feelings towards child.

Question 6

Conclusion of Ainsworth study

Answer 6

Attachment style depends on sensitivity and responsiveness of mother towards child.
-less sensitive and responsive = insecurity attached babies

Question 7

Other factors effecting attachment style

Answer 7

• baby’s personality
• health
• stress
• employment

Question 8

Evaluation of strange situation study

Answer 8

• lacks internal validity as it only focuses on bond with mother
• controlled observation (lack ecological validity)
• baby personality could be factor
• controlled, standardised observation repeated controlled variables
  -babies can’t show demand characteristics - natural behaviour

Question 9

Cultural variation in attachment - lizandooen and kroohenberg

Answer 9

Meta analysis of 8 country’s

• secure attachment most common in all
• attachment style depends on how different cultures bring up/act towards their children

Britain- encourage independence and use to being in nursery but spend time with children outside. 75% securely attached

Japan-mothers rarely leave child alone so intense distress when mother leaves could be due to shock. 27% insecure resistant

Germany- encourage independent children who are not clingy so use to being alone.
35% insecure avoidant