3.4: Mary Ainsworth et al. (1978)

Question 1

Anya has a 10-month-old son called Ben. Anya sometimes ignores Ben and does not respond when he cries. However, when Anya feels like playing with Ben, she wakes him up, even if he is soundly asleep.
What type of attachment is Ben likely to show? Explain your answer (3 marks)

Answer 1

Ben is likely to be insecurely attached.
This is because Anya is showing characteristics of insensitive mothering, because she is responding to her own needs, rather than those of Ben

Question 2

Anya has a 10-month-old son called Ben. Anya sometimes ignores Ben and does not respond when he cries. However, when Anya feels like playing with Ben, she wakes him up, even if he is soundly asleep.
Explain how a psychologist could investigate Ben’s attachment type using Ainsworth’s Strange Situation (3 marks)

Answer 2

The psychologist would observe Ben’s behaviour with his mother, when she leaves the room, when a stranger enters room, when the stranger plays with child, when child is alone and when mother returns