Mary Ainsworth - Strange Situation 1970

Discuss Ainsworth’s strange situation [16 marks] AO1

The strange situation was developed by Mary Ainsworth (1970) it is a method of assessing the quality of attachment between a baby and a caregiver, by observing key attachment behaviours

The procedure is a controlled observation with a two way mirror which psychologists observe behaviour

5 key behaviours are being observed these include:

• Proximity-seeking: How close does the infant stay to the caregiver

• Exploration and secure base behaviour: Does the infant explore, but use the caregiver as a source of security

• Stranger anxiety: Experience of distress when an unknown adult enters

• Separation anxiety: Experience of distress when caregiver leaves

• Response to reunion: Behaviour towards caregiver when they return

The procedure has 7 episodes, each lasting 3 minutes

1. Child is encouraged to explore

2. Stranger enters and tries to interact with child

3. Caregiver leaves

4. Caregiver returns, stranger leaves

5. Caregiver leaves baby alone

6. Stranger returns

7. Caregiver returns and is reunited with the child

Ainsworth’s findings

Insecure-avoidant (Type A)

These children explore freely, but do not display proximity seeking or secure behaviour. They have low separation anxiety and low stranger anxiety. Avoids contact at the reunion stage

22% are classified as insecure-avoidant in SS

Secure attachment (Type B)

These children happily explore but regularly return back to their secure base. Children have moderate separation anxiety and moderate stranger anxiety. Requires and accepts comfort from caregiver on reunion

66% are secure-attachment in SS

Insecure-Resistant (Type C)

These children seek greater proximity and explore less. They show high separation anxiety and high stranger anxiety and resist comfort upon reunion. May go to caregiver, but will not be comforted and may reject comfort

12% are classified as insecure-resistant in SS

Discuss Ainsworth’s strange situation [16 marks] AO3

One strength of the ‘Strange Situation’ is that it has good inter-rater reliability. When testing inter-rater reliability for a team of observers, Bick et al found a 94% agreement between observers in one team. This could be because the Strange Situation takes place under controlled conditions and because the behavioural categories are easy to observe e.g. seperation anxiety. Therefore suggesting, the findings are considered more meaningful as we can be confident that an attachment type identified in the SS does not depend on subjectivity.

One limitation of Ainsworths SS is it lacks population validity. Ainsworth SS uses a small sample of 26 pairs of mothers and children all from America. This is a problem because the sample is not representative of a wide range of mothers, all of which could have different parenting styles, but also is not reflective of mother child attachments globally, which we know is important from the work of Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonberg. This therefore makes it difficult to generalise the findings that all children fit into the three attachment types, which questions the external validity through population validity, making it difficult to generalise globally and suggests that the method needs adapting to consider cultural differences.

Main and Solomon (1986) identified a fourth category of attachment - disorganised (Type D), a mix of resistant and avoidant behaviours. However, Type D babies are unusual and have generally experienced some form of severe neglect or abuse, associated with later psychological disorders. This means that Ainsworth’s classification is adequate as a description of normal variations in attachment.

Explan what is meant by ‘secure’, ‘insecure-avoidant’ and ‘insecure-resistant’ [6 marks]

Insecure-avoidant (Type A)

These children explore freely, but do not display proximity seeking or secure behaviour. They have low separation anxiety and low stranger anxiety. Avoids contact at the reunion stage

22% are classified as insecure-avoidant in SS

Secure attachment (Type B)

These children happily explore but regularly return back to their secure base. Children have moderate separation anxiety and moderate stranger anxiety. Requires and accepts comfort from caregiver on reunion

66% are secure-attachment in SS

Insecure-Resistant (Type C)

These children seek greater proximity and explore less. They show high separation anxiety and high stranger anxiety and resist comfort upon reunion. May go to caregiver, but will not be comforted and may reject comfort

12% are classified as insecure-resistant in SS

 Nine-year-old Annie asks her mother, "What was I like as a toddler?" "Oh, you could be a bit difficult," Annie's mother replies. "You used to scream when I left you at nursery. When I returned to pick you up, you would run towards me and then push me away." Identify the attachment type that Annie's mother is describing

Ainsworth identified three types of attachment. Choose any two types and explain one difference between them [3 marks]

Secure attachment: Children have moderate separation anxiety and moderate stranger anxiety.

However, insecure-avoidant attachment: They have low separation anxiety and low stranger anxiety.

Outline how Ainsworth studied types of attachment [6 marks]

The strange situation was developed by Mary Ainsworth (1970) it is a method of assessing the quality of attachment between a baby and a caregiver, by observing key attachment behaviours

The procedure is a controlled observation with a two way mirror which psychologists observe behaviour

5 key behaviours are being observed these include:

• Proximity-seeking: How close does the infant stay to the caregiver

• Exploration and secure base behaviour: Does the infant explore, but use the caregiver as a source of security

• Stranger anxiety: Experience of distress when an unknown adult enters

• Separation anxiety: Experience of distress when caregiver leaves

• Response to reunion: Behaviour towards caregiver when they return

The procedure has 7 episodes, each lasting 3 minutes

1. Child is encouraged to explore

2. Stranger enters and tries to interact with child

3. Caregiver leaves

4. Caregiver returns, stranger leaves

5. Caregiver leaves baby alone

6. Stranger returns

7. Caregiver returns and is reunited with the child

Ainsworth identified different types of attachment in children, including secure and insecure attachment. Identify two characteristics of an insecurely attached child. [2 marks]

• High separation anxiety

• High stranger anxiety

• Great proximity seeking behaviour

Some people say that Ainsworth’s studies lacked validity. Explain this criticism of Ainsworth. [Total 4 marks]

One limitation of Ainsworths SS is it lacks population validity. Ainsworth SS uses a small sample of 26 pairs of mothers and children all from America. This is a problem because the sample is not representative of a wide range of mothers, all of which could have different parenting styles, but also is not reflective of mother child attachments globally, which we know is important from the work of Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonberg. This therefore makes it difficult to generalise the findings that all children fit into the three attachment types, which questions the external validity through population validity, making it difficult to generalise globally and suggests that the method needs adapting to consider cultural differences.

Sam - Secure attachment/Type B

Dan - Insecure-resistant/ Type C

Sam - Seek proximity

Dan - Reject comfort on reunion

A researcher used the Strange Situation to investigate the attachment types of two infants. Megan was classified as insecure-avoidant. Rosie was classified as insecure-resistant. Explain how Megan’s behaviour would differ from Rosie’s behaviour in the Strange Situation.

Insecure-avoidant (Type A)

These children explore freely, but do not display proximity seeking or secure behaviour. They have low separation anxiety and low stranger anxiety. Avoids contact at the reunion stage

22% are classified as insecure-avoidant in SS

Insecure-Resistant (Type C)

These children seek greater proximity and explore less. They show high separation anxiety and high stranger anxiety and resist comfort upon reunion. May go to caregiver, but will not be comforted and may reject comfort

12% are classified as insecure-resistant in SS

Three one-year-old girls were taken to nursery by their mothers. The girls each box reacted differently towards their mothers as they left.

Bhavi ignored her mother.

Ola appeared a little upset.

Pippa did not want her mother to leave and was very upset.

The girls also responded differently when the new nursery worker approached them. Bhavi was not at all upset, Ola was moderately anxious but Pippa was very anxious

Ola - Secure/Type B

Bhavi - Insecure-avoidant/Type A

Pippa - Insecure-resistant/Type C

Name three behaviours that researchers have measured in order to classify attachment type when using the Strange Situation

• Proximity-seeking: How close does the infant stay to the caregiver

• Exploration and secure base behaviour: Does the infant explore, but use the caregiver as a source of security

• Stranger anxiety: Experience of distress when an unknown adult enters

• Separation anxiety: Experience of distress when caregiver leaves

• Response to reunion: Behaviour towards caregiver when they return