5. Ainsworth et al. (1978): The Strange Situation Flashcards
(16 cards)
What did Ainsworth do
- Came up with the concept of the strange situation.
- She used it to assess how children react under conditions of stress (by separation from the caregiver & the presence of a stranger) & also to new situations.
- An infants reaction in a strange situation shows if its securely attached.
Method of Ainsworth et al (1978)
- In a controlled observation, 12-18 month old infants were left in a room w their mother.
- 8 different scenarios occurred, including being approached by a stranger, the infant being left alone, & the mother returning.
- The infant’s reactions were constantly observed.
Results of Ainsworth et al (1978)
- About 15% of infants were ‘insecure-avoidant’ (Type A) - they ignored their mother & didn’t mind if she left. A stranger could comfort them.
- About 70% were ‘securely attached (Type B) - they were content w their mother, upset when she left, & happy when she returned. They also avoided strangers.
- About 15% were ‘insecure-resistant’ (Type C) - they were uneasy around their mother & upset if she left. They resisted strangers & were also hard to comfort when their mother returned.
Conclusion of Ainsworth et al (1978)
Infants showing different reactions to their carers have different types of attachment.
Evaluation of Ainsworth et al (1978): PROS
- Research method used (controlled observation) allowed control of variables - reliable results.
Evaluation of Ainsworth et al (1978): CONS
- Laboratory-type situation made study artificial - reducing ecological validity.
- The parents may have changed their behaviour, as they know that they were being observed. This could have had an effect on the children’s behaviour.
- Also, the new situation in the experiment may have had an effect on the children’s behaviour - so study may not accurately represent their behaviour irl.
- Mother may not have been the child’s main attachment figure.
What did Van Ijzendoorn & Kroonenberg (1988) do
- Ainsworth et al (1978) findings have been shown many times in the USA.
- BUT it wasn’t then known whether they could be applied to other cultures.
- Cross-cultural studies have since taken place
Method of Van Ijzendoorn & Kroonenberg (1988)
- Van Ijzendoorn & Kroonenberg carried out a meta-analysis of 32 studies of ‘the strange situation’ in different countries (eg. Japan, Britain, Sweden, etc).
- They were analysed to find any overall patterns.
Results of Van Ijzendoorn & Kroonenberg (1988)
- The percentages of children classified as secure or insecure were similar across the countries tested - there were more differences within the actual countries than between them.
- Secure attachments were the most common type of attachment in the countries studied.
- Some differences were found in the distribution of insecure attachments.
- In Western cultures, the dominant type of insecure attachment was avoidant, w the highest proportion of insecure-avoidant children coming from Germany.
- HOWEVER, in non-Western cultures, the dominant type of insecure attachment was resistant. Here, Japan had the highest proportion of insecure-resistant children.
Conclusion of Van Ijzendoorn & Kroonenberg (1988)
There are cross-cultural similarities in raising children, w common reactions to the ‘strange situation’.
Evaluation of Van Ijzendoorn & Kroonenberg (1988): CONS
- Children are brought up in different ways in different cultures. This might result in diff types of attachment in diff cultures. Bc of this, the ‘strange situation’ might not be a suitable method for studying cross-cultural attachment.
- Using a different type of study may have revealed diff patterns or types of attachment in diff cultures.
- Also, the study assumes that different countries are the same thing as diff cultures.
- Problem w the research method is that meta-analysis can hide individual results that show an unusual trend.
Important findings from the Strange situation research
- Some cultural differences are found.
- The causes of different attachment types are debatable.
- The strange situation experiment didn’t show a characteristic of the child.
- Attachment type may influence later behaviours.
Important findings from the Strange situation research: 1. Some cultural differences are found
Some cultural differences are found. Grossman et al (1985) claimed that more ‘avoidant’ infants may be found in Germany bc of the value Germans put on independence - so ‘avoidance’ is seen as good.
Important findings from the Strange situation research: 2. The causes of different attachment types are debatable
The causes of different attachment types are debatable. The causes may be the sensitivity of their carers and/or their inborn temperament.
Important findings from the Strange situation research: 3. The strange situation experiment didn’t show a characteristic of the child
The strange situation experiment didn’t show a characteristic of the child. The experiment only shows the child’s relationship w a specific person, so they might react differently w different carers, or later in life.
Important findings from the Strange situation research: 4. Attachment type may influence later behaviours
- Attachment type may influence later behaviours. Securely attached children may be more confident in school & form strong, trusting adult relationships.
- ‘Avoidant’ children may have behaviour problems in school & find it hard to form close, trusting adult relationships.
- ‘Resistant’ children may be insecure & attention-seeking in school &, as adults, their strong feelings of dependency may be stressful for partners.
