The Strange Situation - issues & debates

Who was the experimenter?

Mary Ainsworth and Wittig

What does the study measure?

how infants respond to separations and reunions with their caregivers

When was the study devised

late 1960s

How many episodes?

8 short episodes

How many attachment patterns and what are they?

Three/Four attachment patterns → infants reaction at reunion sorts them into secure, insecure-avoidant or insecure-resistant (ambivalent) attachment. A fourth pattern, disorganised, was added in 1990 (Main and Solomon)

TSS remains developmental psychology’s most-used attachment measure. what is a critique

whether 20-min lab sessions reflect real-world care giving and whether it applies equally across all cultures

What is some modern evidence

A 2023 meta-analysis of over 20,000 strange situation sessions found secure attachment the most common pattern worldwide, though rates vary with socioeconomic risk and culture (Maoigan 2023)

What is the duration of Episode 1

less than one minute

what behavior is observed in episode 1

exploring environment and initial responses to experimenter

what are the categories for episode 1

proximity and contact seeking

who is present for episode 1

mother, baby, experimenter

who is present for episode 2

mother, baby alone

what is the duration of episode 2

three minutes

what are the behaviors observed in episode 2

now comfortably baby explored and interacted with toys, how effectively the baby used the mother as a secure base

what are the categories for episode 2

proximity and contact seeking/maintaining

who is present for episode 3

stranger join mother and infant

what is the duration of episode 3

three minutes

what are behaviours observed in episode 3

baby's exploration and comfort level changed and how baby sought or avoided comfort and interaction

what are the categories for episode 3

proximity and contact seeking, avoidance of proximity and contact, resistance to contact and comfort

who is present for episode 4

mother leaves baby and stranger alone

what is the duration of episode 4

up to three minutes, shorter if infant stress is significant

behaviours observed for episode 4

documented baby's immediate reactions→ distress signals, efforts to find mother, responses to stranger's attempts to provide comfort

categories for episode 4

search behavior, avoidance of proximity and contact, resistance to contact and comfort

Who is present in episode 5

mother returns, stranger leaves

what is the duration of episode 5

variable, typically short

what behaviours observed in episode 5

recorded baby’s reunion behaviours, noting efforts to regain closeness, maintains physical contact, or behaviours indicating avoidance or resistance

What categories are in episode 5

proximity and contact seeking, contact maintaining, avoidance of proximity and contact, resistance to contact and comfort

who is present for episode 6

mother leaves, infant completely alone

what is the duration of episode 6

up to three minutes, shorter if infant distress is significant

what behaviours observed in episode 6

how actively and persistently the baby searched for absent mother and indicated distress through specific search behaviours

what are the episode 6 categories

search behaviour

who is present for episode 7

stranger returns

what is the duration of episode 7

up to three minutes, shorter if distress is significant

what behaviours are observed in episode 7

evaluated if and how the baby accepted comfort or interaction from the stranger, noting any search behaviours directed toward the mother’s last known location

what categories are episode 7

search behaviour, avoidance of proximity and contact, resistance to contact and comfort

who is present for episode 8

mother returns, stranger leaves (final reunion)

what is the duration of episode 8

variable, typically short

what are the behaviours observed in episode 8

assessed the baby’s final reunion behaviours, observing how quickly the baby sought and maintained contact with mother or demonstrated avoidance or resistance

episode 8 categories

proximity and contact seeking, contact maintaining, avoidance of proximity and contact, resistance to contact and comfort

what is the first observational procedure

conducted discretely through one way mirror

what is the second observational procedure

typically, two observers narrated into a two-channel tape recorder, marking behaviour every 15 seconds

what is the third observational procedure

when the first 14 infants were observed, one observer wrote, one observer spoke →for next 33 infants one observer narrated continuously

afterwards, recordings carefully transcribed, combined, and coded for detailed analysis

when behaviours were observed how were they rated

on a scale of intensity from 1-7

what are the behaviours observed

exploratory behaviour, separation anxiety, stranger anxiety, reunion behaviour, search behaviour, negative affect displays

what do scores consider

strength, frequency, duration, latency, type

what are general characteristics of securely attached infants

confident exploration, moderate separation distress, moderate stranger anxiety, easily soothed

what are the general characteristics of avoidant attachment

independent exploration, minimal separation distress, little interest at reunion, no preference for caregiver

what are the general behvaioural characteristics of resistant attachment

clingy exploration, intense separation anxiety, stranger anxiety, mixed reunion response, difficult to soothe