Types of attachment

Insecure-avoidant attachment

Characterised by low anxiety but weak attachment. Low separation and stranger anxiety and little response to reunion, and an avoidance of comfort at reunion.

Insecure-resistant attachment

Characterised by strong attachment and high anxiety. High separation and stranger anxiety and resistance to comfort at reunion

Secure attachment

Associated with psychologically healthy outcomes. Moderate stranger and separation anxiety and ease of comfort at reunion

Strange Situation

A controlled observation designed to test attachment security. Observant record a baby’s behaviour while playing in an unfamiliar room.

Developed by Ainsworth and Bell 1970

Proximity-seeking

How close a baby is to their caregiver when supervised

Exploration and secure-base behaviour

Enabling a baby to feel confident to explore, using their caregiver as a secure base.

Stranger anxiety

How much anxiety a baby has when a stranger approaches

Separation anxiety

How much anxiety a baby has when the caregiver leaves

Response to reunion

How a baby responds when their caregiver returns and their ability to seek comfort

Procedure of Strange Situation

Takes place in a room with controlled conditions, a one-way mirror and cameras which psychologist can use to observe the baby’s behaviour.

The behaviour is used to judge attachment include:

• Proximity-seeking

• Exploration and secure-base behaviour

• Stranger anxiety.

• Separation anxiety

• Response to reunion

7 episodes each lasting 3 minutes

1. Baby encouraged to explore - Exploration, SBB + PS

2. Stranger comes in and approaches baby - StA, SBB + PS

3. Caregiver leaves baby and stranger together - SepA + StA

4. Caregiver returns and stranger leaves - RB + SBB

5. Caregiver leaves baby alone - SepA

6. Stranger returns - StA

7. Caregiver returns and is reunited with baby - RB

Findings of the Strange Situation

Distinct patterns in the way that babies behaved, 3 main ways:

• Secure – Explore happily, regularly go back to caregiver. Moderate stranger and separation anxiety. Accept comfort from caregiver at reunion. 60-75%

• Insecure avoidant – Explore freely, no proximity or secure base behaviour. Low stranger and separation anxiety. Avoid comfort from caregiver at reunion. 20-25%

• Insecure resistant – Seek greater proximity than others, explore less. High stranger and separation anxiety. Resist comfort from caregiver at reunion. 3%

S Madigan

Meta-analysis of 285 SS studies.

IA predicted higher rates of aggression and then anxiety and depression. Other research reports positive mental health outcomes for secure attachment.

Good predictive validity.

S Bick

Good inter-rater reliability (agreement between different observers)

94% of observers agreed when determining attachment type. High reliability may be because of controlled conditions and behaviours involve large movements and are easy to observe.

We can be confident that SS assessment is not due to subjectivity.

W Takahashi

SS developed in Britain and US. Japanese babies have high separation anxiety so classed as IR. This was due to unusual nature of mother-baby separation

W Main + Solomon

Claimed a 4th category – Disinhibited, a mix of resistant and avoidant behaviours.

Unusual and babies have had some form of severe neglect or abuse. Most develop psychological conditions by adulthood

Not a complete theory