Ainsworth's strange situation

Question 1

What was the aim of the strange situation?

Answer 1

To measure the attachment type of a child

Question 2

What was the procedure of the strange situation

Answer 2

• observation study of middle-class infants
• categorised the observed behaviour e.g seeking proximity/contact
• explores:
- separation anxiety
- reunion behaviour (how easily infant is comforted)
- response to strangers
- whether the infant explores (secure base concept)

Question 3

What were the findings of the strange situation?

Answer 3

ainsworth found 3 main patterns of behaviour to suggest 3 different attachment types
• secure attachment (co-operate interaction with others, some distress with strangers, can explore when using the caregiver as a secure base)
• insecure avoidant (avoids social interaction with others, little response to separation, happy to explore with or without caregiver)
• insecure resistant (seeks and resists proximity and interaction, high distress during separation, not easily soothed but does want proximity)

Question 4

Positives of the strange situation

Answer 4

• high inter-observer reliability = observation have high reliability
• circle of security project (cooper et al) research on attachment types can be used when responding to children’s behaviour to improving their lives

Question 5

Criticisms of the strange situation

Answer 5

• Main and Solomon discovered a fourth attachment type which suggests Ainsworth’s is too simplistic, ignores other attachment types
• only studies middle class, cannot generalise
• only uses mother as primary caregiver, ignores other attachments with others (e.g dad)
• Low internal validity - because it only looks at the mother, we are unsure if this study shows attachment types or if it shows the quality of one relationship