**L3 - Types of Attachment Flashcards
what was the STRANGE SITUATION and who developed it?
The STRANGE SITUATION was developed by AINSWORTH ET AL to INVESTIGATE DIFFERENCES IN ATTACHMENTS between INFANTS and their CAREGIVERS
how did the STRANGE SITUATION WORK?
It was a CONTROLLED OBSERVATION which took place in a ROOM that had been FURNISHED WITH SOME TOYS
The INVESTIGATORS OBSERVED THE INFANTS in a SERIES OF THREE MINUTE EPISODES:
- MOTHER AND BABY
- STRANGER ENTERS
- MOTHER LEAVES
- MOTHER RETURNS
what did the STRANGE SITUATION LOOK FOR?
The INVESTIGATORS RECORDED an infant’s PROXIMITY SEEKING, STRANGER ANXIETY, SEPARATION PROTEST and REUNION JOY
What is TYPE A - INSECURE AVOIDANT ATTACHMENT, BASED ON THE STRANGE SITUATION?
20% of babies had attachments that were classified as INSECURE-AVOIDANT.
Babies with this attachment style will LARGELY IGNORE THEIR CAREGIVER and PLAY INDEPENDENTLY while they EXPLORE THE ROOM.
They show NO SIGNS OF DISTRESS when the CAREGIVER IS ABSENT (no SEPARATION PROTEST) and continue to ignore them when they return (no REUNION JOY).
What is TYPE A - INSECURE AVOIDANT ATTACHMENT, BASED ON THE STRANGE SITUATION? PT 2
The baby is DISTRESSED when LEFT COMPLETELY ALONE but is COMFORTED BY THE STRANGER AS EASILY as their CAREGIVER (NO STRANGER ANXIETY).
The caregiver and the stranger are treated in MUCH THE SAME WAY
What is TYPE B - SECURE ATATCHMENT, BASED ON THE STRANGE SITUATION?
70% of babies were described as SECURELY ATTACHED.
SECURELY ATTACHED BABIES PLAY HAPPILY while the CAREGIVER IS PRESENT and use them as a SAFE BASE WHILE THEY EXPLORE THE ROOM and PLAY WITH THE TOYS.
The baby is CLEARLY DISTRESSED when the CAREGIVER LEAVES (SEPARATION PROTEST), even if they are NOT LEFT COMPLETELY ALONE, and SEEKS IMMEDIATE CONTACT with their CAREGIVER when they RETURN (REUNION JOY)
What is TYPE B - SECURE ATATCHMENT, BASED ON THE STRANGE SITUATION? PT 2
Their CAREGIVER EASILY COMFORTS THEM.
The baby is WARY OF THE STRANGER (STRANGER ANXIETY) but ACCEPTS SOME COMFORT FROM THEM when the CAREGIVER IS ABSENT
What is TYPE C - INSECURE RESISTANT ATTACHMENT, BASED ON THE STRANGE SITUATION?
10% of babies were put in the INSECURE-RESISTANT CATEGORY.
Babies who have an INSECURE RESISTANT attachment TO THEIR CAREGIVERS are FUSSY and CRY MORE THAN OTHER BABIES.
They WILL NOT EXPLORE THE ROOM or PLAY WITH THE TOYS very much, INSTEAD THEY ARE CLINGY.
What is TYPE C - INSECURE RESISTANT ATTACHMENT, BASED ON THE STRANGE SITUATION? PT 2
The baby is DISTRESSED when the CAREGIVER LEAVES (EXTREME SEPARATION PROTEST), however they RESIST COMFORT FROM THE CAREGIVER ON REUNION (no REUNION JOY).
They STRONGLY RESIST the STRANGER’S ATTEMPTS TO MAKE CONTACT (EXTREME STRANGER ANXIETY)
(quiz) what are the names of the THREE ATTACHMENT TYPES and what are the proportions of babies with each?
1) INSECURE AVOIDANT - 20%
2) SECURE ATTACHMENT - 70%
3) INSECURE RESISTANT - 10%
+ REPLICATION (EVALUATING THE STRANGE SITUATION)
+ The STRANGE SITUATION has been REPLICATED MANY TIMES OVER THE YEARS.
It is EASY TO REPLICATE this study because it had a HIGH LEVEL OF CONTROL and STANDARDISED PROCEDURES.
It has been CARRIED OUT SUCCESSFULLY in MANY DIFFERENT CULTURES
- CULTURALLY BIASED (EVALUATING THE STRANGE SITUATION)
- the STRANGE SITUATION was DEVELOPED in the UNITED STATES and so it may be CULTURALLY BIASED
Attachment that is SEEN AS HEALTHY in the UNITED STATES may NOT BE SEEN AS SUCH IN ALL CUTLURES.
In GERMANY at this time, VERY FEW MOTHERS WORKED but CHILDREN WERE ENCOURAGED TO BE INDEPENDENT and SELF RELIANT.
- CULTURALLY BIASED (EVALUATING THE STRANGE SITUATION) PT 2
GERMAN PARENTS view SOME OF THE BEHAVIOUR exhibited by SECURELY ATTACHED INFANTS, such as CRYING when their mothers LEAVE, as being SPOILT and so DO NOT REWARD THIS BEHAVIOUR.
This is why these children may have SHOWN LESS ANXIETY when SEPARATED FROM THEIR MOTHERS and been classed as AVOIDANT
- VALIDITY (EVALUATING THE STRANGE SITUATION)
- a weakness of the STRANGE SITUATION is that the VALIDITY OF SOME MEASURES has been QUESTIONED, for instance, it could be argued that PROXIMITY SEEKING could be a MEASURE OF INSECURITY RATHER THAN SECURITY
- GENDER BIASED, MAIN AND WESTON (EVALUATING THE STRANGE SITUATION)
- the STRANGE SITUATION is GENDER BIASED as it has only ever been carried out USING MOTHERS AS THE CAREGIVER.
Children might be INSECURELY ATTACHED to their MOTHERS but SECURELY ATTACHED TO THEIR FATHERS.
The strange situation is therefore NOT MEASURING A CHILD’S OVERALL ATTACHMENT STYLE but their ATTACHMENT TO ONE INDIVIDUAL.
MAIN AND WESTON found that CHILDREN BEHAVE DIFFERENTLY depending on WHICH PARENT THEY ARE WITH
