2. Ainsworth's Strange Situation

Research method used

• Structured observational research → assess + measure quality of attachment

• Children observed through one-way mirror → classed as one of three attachment types → based on responses to 8 stages

8 pre-determined stages

1. Mother and child enter playroom

2. Child is encouraged to explore

3. Stranger enters and attempts to interact

4. Mother leaves while stranger is present

5. Mother enters and stranger leaves

6. Mother leaves

7. Stranger resturns

8. Mother returns and interacts with child

Criteria used

Ainsworth and Bell (1970) → used 4 criteria → classify 100 middle class American infants → into 1/3 categories

Strength → replicable/high inter-observer reliability

• Research is highly operationalized → observers have a clear view → of how securely-attached infants should behave → due to 4 specific criteria used

• Research should have inter-observer/rater reliability + replicable → reliability can be checked

Strength → reliability of classifications

• Waters (1978) → assessed 50 infants @ 12-18 months of age → using SS procedures

• Found clear evidence → for stable individual differences → using Ainsworth’s behaviour category data

Weakness → low population validity

• Sample restricted → to 100 middle class Americans + their infants

• Unlikely that findings = representative of wider population

Weakness → categories are not always applicable

• Further classification group (disorganized) → subsequently identified by Main and Cassidy (1988) → suggests that infants do not fit into three categories → introduced by Ainsworth

Weakness → procedure is culturally biased

• SS was designed by an American → according to observations of US children

• Criteria used to classify infants → based on US values → relating to child-parents behaviour → Eurocentric

• Observations of non-Americans → judged according to American standards

  • E.g. Japanese infants → judged as being resistant → due to high levels of distress observed

  • Reflects lack of experience → during ‘infant alone’ part of research →rather than resistant attachment type