Attachment - Ainsworth's strange situation

Question 1

what is the strange situation

Answer 1

• controlled observation designed to test attachment security

Question 2

what was the procedure

Answer 2

• room with two-way mirror which psychologists can observe the baby’s behaviour
• baby encouraged to explore
• stranger comes in, talks to caregiver and approaches to the baby
• caregiver leaves the baby and stranger together
• caregiver returns and the stranger leaves
• caregiver leaves the baby alone
• stranger returns
• caregiver returns and is reunited with the baby

Question 3

what behaviour were used to judged attachment

Answer 3

Proximity seeking
- baby with a good quality attachment stays fairly close

Secure-base behaviour
- baby can explore and uses caregiver as a secure base

Stranger anxiety
- display of anxiety when a stranger approaches

Separation anxiety
- protests separation from caregiver

Response to reunion
- greet caregivers’ return with pleasure and seek comfort

Question 4

what is secure attachment

Answer 4

• explore happily but go back to caregiver
• moderate separation distress and stranger anxiety
• require and accept comfort in the reunion stage

Question 5

what is insecure - avoidant attachment

Answer 5

• explore freely but don’t seek proximity or show secure base behaviour
• little or no reaction when the caregiver leaves and little stranger anxiety
• little effort to respond when the caregiver returns

Question 6

what is insecure - resistant attachment

Answer 6

• seek greater proximity and explore less
• high levels of stranger and separation anxiety
• resist comfort when separated

Question 7

what did Ainsworth find

Answer 7

• 1978 found the three attachment types
• secure 60-75%
• insecure - avoidant 20-25%
• insecure - resistant 3%

Question 8

what are the strengths of Ainsworths’ study

Answer 8

Good predictive reliability
- babies and toddlers assessed as Type B tend to have better outcomes in childhood and adulthood
- better mental health
- insecure -resistant have worse outcomes

Good Reliability
Bick (2012)
- tested inter rater reliability
- agreed on attachment type in 94% of cases
- procedure takes place under highly controlled conditions and behaviours involve large movements

Question 9

what are the limitations of Ainsworth’s study

Answer 9

Culture bound
- developed in Britain and USA
Takahasi (1986) Japanese
- babies displaying high levels of separation anxiety and classified as insecure resistant
- anxiety not due to attachment security but the unusual situation - mother and baby separation in Japan is rare