4.1.3 - Ainsworths Strange Situation

Question 1

How is observation used.

Answer 1

• has no independent variable
• is a structured observation, has behavioural categories for researching infants
• observes the quality and style of attachments

Question 2

What does the behavioural categories consist of

Answer 2

• separation anxiety
• stranger anxiety
• reunion behaviour
• proximity seeing behaviour (pcg as a secure base)

Question 3

What was Ainsworths procedure

Answer 3

Used 8 stages of 3 mins duration:
- m & b enter the room and settle
- b is encouraged to explore new environment
- a stranger enters the room
- the m leaves
- m returned and the s leaves
- m leaves and the b is alone
- s returns
- m returns

Question 4

What types of attachment did Ainsworth find

Answer 4

Type A - insecure avoidant
Type B - secure
Type C - insecure resistant

Question 5

Behaviour of insecure avoidant babies

Answer 5

• unfused when the stranger enters
• has little reaction to the mother leaving
• isn’t fused when the mother returns and doesn’t seek comfort

Question 6

Behaviour of secure babies

Answer 6

• moderate stranger anxiety is seen when the stranger enters
• distressed when the mother leaves
• seeks comfort when mother when she returns but settles quickly

Question 7

Behaviour of insecure resistant babies

Answer 7

Extreme stranger anxiety, is very distressed when the stranger enters
Is extremely distressed when the mother leaves
Both seeks and rejects comfort when the mother returns

Question 8

strange situation ecological validity - A03

Answer 8

• It is in a lab environment, therefore has many control variables.
• This means that an artificial environment is created, therefore the babies may not feel confortable In this new environment.
• This is because they are only given a short period of time to settle down.
• Their discomfort could therefore be because of the unfamiliar surroundings, not their attachment.
• Because of the lab environment, the mother is aware that she is being watched, so may respond to demand characteristics or the Hawthorn affect.

Question 9

Strange situation may be culturally bound

Answer 9

• Investigation IS culturally bound, because it does not have the same meaning in non- Western cultures furthermore, the caregivers respond differently to the strange situation, changing the ability to accuratley record results.
• This is a limitation because the results of the test cannot be generalised to many eastern cultures.

Question 10

Ainsworth study may not actually measure attachment styles

Answer 10

• It actually measures a childs anxiety levels when placed in an unfamiliar environment.
• The main influence on a child’s anxiety levels
  is not definatley attachment, like Ainsworth assomed. Research by Jerome Kagan (1982) suggested that the childs genetically influenced personality could have a larger impact on behaviour than attachment.
• This suggestion weakens her argument / theory as temperment could be a uncontrolable confounding variable.

Question 11

Ainsworth only presents 3 attachment styles

Answer 11

Main and Soloman(1986):
- They have suggested that a minority of children display a type of behaviour that does not fall within Ainsworth’s type A, B or C
- This atypical attachment is reffered to as a disorganised attachment meaning children display an unexplainable mix of avoidant and resistant
behaviours.
-Therefore Ainsworths research could be viewed as oversimplified.