Ainsworth's Strange Situation

Flashcards about Ainsworth's Strange Situation and Attachment Types

What four behaviours did Ainsworth measure in the Strange Situation to assess attachment types?

Stranger anxiety, separation anxiety, response to reunion, and proximity seeking

What are the 7 stages of the Strange Situation?

1. Researcher introduces mother and baby to room then leaves.

2. Stranger enters, talks to the mother, and approaches the infant.

3. Mother exits, stranger is alone with infant.

4. First reunion: The mother returns and greets/comforts the baby, the stranger leaves.

5. The mother leaves, leaving the infant alone.

6. Stranger returns and tries to comfort the infant.

7. Second reunion: The mother returns, and the stranger leaves.

What percentage of infants are classified as having secure attachment (Type B)?

Approximately 70%

Describe the behavior of a securely attached infant (Type B)

Seeks comfort upon reunion and can be easily soothed, sees mother as a base to explore, moderate distress when separated, moderate stranger anxiety.

What percentage of infants are classified as having insecure avoidant attachment (Type A)?

Approximately 20%

Describe the behavior of a insecure-avoidant attachment (Type A)

Not pleased upon reunion and often tries to get away, minimal signs of separation anxiety, minimal signs of stranger anxiety.

What percentage of infants are classified as having insecure resistant attachment (Type C)?

Approximately 10%

Describe the behavior of a insecure-resistant attachment (Type C)

Extreme separation anxiety, extreme stranger anxiety (even if mother is present).

What was the age range of the infants assessed in Ainsworth's (1969) study?

1-2 years old

How often was behavior recorded during Ainsworth's (1969) Strange Situation observation?

Every 15 seconds

According to Bick, what was the inter-rater reliability statistic of the strange situation observers?

94%

What is one criticism of the Strange Situation regarding its subjectivity?

Proximity seeking could be interpreted as an anxiety response, not for comfort, therefore it’s subjectivity and at risk of observer bias

How does Ainsworth's Strange Situation suffer from culture bias?

Ethnocentrism as it reflects Western culture.

What is a limitation of the original sample used in the Strange Situation research?

Low generalisability because it primarily consisted of middle-class families.

Why does the Strange Situation have high replicability?

The use of a controlled observation ensured standardisation in Ainsworth’s research. Bick found a 94% inter-rater reliability percentage.

How does the Strange Situation have high internal validity?

Standardised stages, all babies were aged 1-2.

Level of demand characteristics and social desireability for the strange situation?

Weak as it included babies, high because mothers are aware of the observation. Risk of social desireability as mothers may alter behaviour.

What level of ecological validity does the SS have?

The environment in the observation was highly controlled and artificial. The setting, the existence of scripted stages, both decrease mundane realism as this is a situation that an infant is unlikely to experience in everyday life. However, experimental realism may be high due to the babies emotional response not being altered by the study.

What is a challenge related to the right to withdraw in the Strange Situation?

The babies are unable to withdraw from the research, as they are unaware that they are taking part, they cannot communicate and cannot express their feelings about the study.

What and why did Main & Solomon (1990) add to Ainsworth's attachment types?

Disorganised attachment – a fourth type of attachment, characterised by a mix of resistant and avoidant behaviour. May be confused about whether to approach mother upon reunion. Around 5% of infants were inconsistant and didn’t fall within type A, B, or C.

What is Ainsworth's caregiver sensitivity hypothesis?

Differences in attachment styles are dependent on the mother’s behaviour towards the baby during a critical period of development.

What kind of maternal behaviour might lead to an insecure-avoidant attachment, according to Ainsworth's caregiver sensitivity hypothesis?

The mother ignores the baby’s emotional needs.

What kind of maternal behaviour might lead to an insecure-resistant attachment, according to Ainsworth's caregiver sensitivity hypothesis?

the mother sometimes meets and sometimes ignores the baby’s emotional needs (behaviour is inconsistent).