Ainsworth's strange situation: Types of attachment

Question 1

What is the strange situation?

Answer 1

A test of attachment types

Question 2

What type of study was the strange situation?

Answer 2

Observation

Question 3

What type of observation was the strange situation?

Answer 3

Controlled + overt

Question 4

Where was the strange situation conducted?

Answer 4

A novel room containing toys

Question 5

How many episodes were there in Ainsworth’s strange situation?

Answer 5

8

Question 6

What were the 4 observed behaviours in the strange situation?

Answer 6

Reunion behaviour, safe base behaviour, separation anxiety and stranger anxiety

Question 7

How many observers were there for the strange situation?

Answer 7

Multiple

Question 8

What are the 3 attachment types?

Answer 8

Secure, insecure-avoidant and insecure-resistant

Question 9

What is the safe base behaviour like in securely attached infants?

Answer 9

High willingness to explore

Question 10

What is the stranger anxiety like in securely attached infants?

Answer 10

Moderate

Question 11

What is the separation anxiety like in securely attached infants?

Answer 11

Moderate

Question 12

What is the reunion behaviour like in securely attached infants?

Answer 12

Joy on reunion

Question 13

According to Ainsworth’s strange situation, how many infants were securely attached?

Answer 13

66%

Question 14

What is the safe base behaviour like in insecure avoidant infants?

Answer 14

High willingness to explore

Question 15

What is the stranger anxiety like in insecure avoidant infants?

Answer 15

Low

Question 16

What is the separation anxiety like in insecure avoidant infants?

Answer 16

They are indifferent

Question 17

What is the reunion behaviour like in insecure avoidant infants?

Answer 17

They avoid contact

Question 18

According to Ainsworth’s strange situation, how many infants were insecure-avoidant?

Answer 18

22%

Question 19

What is the safe base behaviour like in insecure resistant infants?

Answer 19

Low willingness to explore

Question 20

What is the stranger anxiety like in insecure resistant infants?

Answer 20

Extreme

Question 21

What is the separation anxiety like in insecure resistant infants?

Answer 21

Extreme

Question 22

What is the reunion behaviour like in insecure resistant infants?

Answer 22

Seek + reject

Question 23

According to Ainsworth’s strange situation, how many infants were insecure-resistant?

Answer 23

12%

Question 24

What are the 4 AO3 points of the strange situation?

Answer 24

1) More than 3 types of attachment
2) Methodological strengths
3) Methodological criticisms
4) Lacks cross-cultural validity

Question 25

What is the 4th type of attachment?

Answer 25

Insecure-disorganised

Question 26

Give an example of insecure-disorganised behaviour?

Answer 26

Showing very strong attachment behaviour, followed by avoidance or fear

Question 27

What is insecure-disorganised attachment characterised by?

Answer 27

Inconsistent social behaviour patterns

Question 28

Why do infants develop an insecure-disorganised attachment type?

Answer 28

They don’t have a consistent attachment, and so lack a coherent strategy for dealing with the stress of separation

Question 29

What is the interobserver reliability of the strange situation?

Answer 29

0.94

Question 30

What bias did the strange situation not suffer from?

Answer 30

Observer bias

Question 31

Why does the strange situation have high interobserver reliability?

Answer 31

It has highly standardised behavioural categories

Question 32

Give 2 examples of extraneous variables controlled for in the strange situation.

Answer 32

The stranger used and the length of episodes were controlled

Question 33

What validity does the strange situation lack?

Answer 33

Internal validity

Question 34

What may have Ainsworth measured rather than attachment type?

Answer 34

The quality of relationship

Question 35

Why is it an issue that Ainsworth only tested mother-infant relationships?

Answer 35

The infant may not have had a primary attachment bond with their mother

Question 36

What country was the strange situation conducted in?

Answer 36

America

Question 37

What type of culture is America?

Answer 37

Individualist + Western

Question 38

Why can't the strange situation be applied to Israel?

Answer 38

The group needs are emphasised - infants are typically looked after by metapelets at a Kibbutz - can often lead to the metapelet being their main caregiver