Attachment - Ainsworth's strange situation Flashcards
what is the strange situation
- controlled observation designed to test attachment security
what was the procedure
- room with two-way mirror which psychologists can observe the baby’s behaviour
- baby encouraged to explore
- stranger comes in, talks to caregiver and approaches to the baby
- caregiver leaves the baby and stranger together
- caregiver returns and the stranger leaves
- caregiver leaves the baby alone
- stranger returns
- caregiver returns and is reunited with the baby
what behaviour were used to judged attachment
Proximity seeking
- baby with a good quality attachment stays fairly close
Secure-base behaviour
- baby can explore and uses caregiver as a secure base
Stranger anxiety
- display of anxiety when a stranger approaches
Separation anxiety
- protests separation from caregiver
Response to reunion
- greet caregivers’ return with pleasure and seek comfort
what is secure attachment
- explore happily but go back to caregiver
- moderate separation distress and stranger anxiety
- require and accept comfort in the reunion stage
what is insecure - avoidant attachment
- explore freely but don’t seek proximity or show secure base behaviour
- little or no reaction when the caregiver leaves and little stranger anxiety
- little effort to respond when the caregiver returns
what is insecure - resistant attachment
- seek greater proximity and explore less
- high levels of stranger and separation anxiety
- resist comfort when separated
what did Ainsworth find
- 1978 found the three attachment types
- secure 60-75%
- insecure - avoidant 20-25%
- insecure - resistant 3%
what are the strengths of Ainsworths’ study
Good predictive reliability
- babies and toddlers assessed as Type B tend to have better outcomes in childhood and adulthood
- better mental health
- insecure -resistant have worse outcomes
Good Reliability
Bick (2012)
- tested inter rater reliability
- agreed on attachment type in 94% of cases
- procedure takes place under highly controlled conditions and behaviours involve large movements
what are the limitations of Ainsworth’s study
Culture bound
- developed in Britain and USA
Takahasi (1986) Japanese
- babies displaying high levels of separation anxiety and classified as insecure resistant
- anxiety not due to attachment security but the unusual situation - mother and baby separation in Japan is rare