Measuring attachment

Question 1

What did Mary Ainsworth state about attachments ?

Answer 1

The type of quality of attachment between mother and infant is largely dependant on the mother’s behaviour towards the child
- known as sensitive responsiveness

Question 2

What are the 3 attachment types identified by Ainsworth ?

Answer 2

Type A : insecure-avoidant
Type B : securely-attached
Type C : insecure-resistant

Question 3

What did ainsworth do ?

Answer 3

Ainsworth interviewed and observed mothers interacting with their children and identified 3 attachemnt types

Question 4

How does a type A insecure avoidant attachemnt look like ?

Answer 4

Infants are willing to explore, have low stranger anxiety, are unconcerned by separation and avoid contact at the return of their care giver, caregivers are indifferent to knfants needs

Question 5

How does a type B securely attached attachment look like ?

Answer 5

Infants are keen to explore, have high stranger anxiety, are easy to calm down and are enthusiastic at the return of their carer
Caregivefs are sensitive to infants needs

Question 6

How does a type C insecure-resistant attachment look like ?

Answer 6

Infangs are unwiling to explore, have high stranger anxiety, are upset by separation and seek and reject contact at the return of their caregiver
Caregivers are ambivalent to infants needs demonstrating simultaneous opposite feelings and behaviours

Question 7

Ao1 of the strange situation

Answer 7

• it is a controlled observation designed to measure the security of attachments
• measure attachment types in infabts ( a, b or c )
• it takes place in a room with controlled conditions (lab environment and two-way mirror)
• behaviour was recorded every 15 seconds

Question 8

What behaviours were observed in the strange situation ??

Answer 8

• proximity seeking
• exploration and secure base behaviour
• stranger anxiety
• separation anxiety
• response to reunion