A7. Ainsworth’s Strange Situation

Question 1

Ainsworth’s Strange Situation

Answer 1

• designed to assess how securely a child is attached to their caregiver
• if ‘insecurely’ attached, assess exactly what type
• controlled observation, through 2-way mirror

Question 2

SS process

Answer 2

• caregiver enters, places child on floor and sits on chair; doesn’t interact unless infant seeks attention
• stranger enters room, talks to carer; then approaches child with toy
• caregiver exits room;infant plays = stranger spectates; passive = stranger interests with toy; distress = stranger comforts
• caregiver then returns, stranger leaves
• infant begins to play again, caregiver leaves (child briefly alone)
• stranger enters again; repeats behaviour in step 3
• stranger leaves, caregiver returns

Question 3

Logic behind SS

Answer 3

• “SS” places child in mildly stressful situation in order to observe 4 types of behaviour
• separation anxiety, stranger anxiety, willingness to explore, reunion behaviour with caregiver

Question 4

Attachment Types

Answer 4

secure, insecure-resistant, insecure-avoidant

Question 5

Secure

Answer 5

• majority attachment type (65%)
• some seperation anxiety
• anxiety easily soothed upon caregiver return
• able to play independently, but uses parent/caregiver as a safe base to explore

Question 6

Insecure-resistant

Answer 6

• becomes very distressed, follows caregiver when they leave 3%
• upon return, infant alternated between seeking/rejecting social interaction and intimacy with them
• less inclined to explore new environments

Question 7

Insecure-avoidant

Answer 7

• no seperation or stranger anxiety 20%
• anger and frustration towards carer; and avoid social interaction and intimacy with them
• easily able to explore and play independently (no matter who’s present)

Question 8

• Eval: lacks eco-validity

Answer 8

• lab setting, variables highly controlled
• lacks mundane realism and can’t be generalised to reality; even though there was control over extraneous and confounding variables
• however, high control of variables does mean it’s easily replicable (therefore reliable)

Question 9

• Eval: Ethical Issues

Answer 9

• 20% of children cried desperately at one point
• therefore breached ‘protection from harm’ guideline; potential long-term emotional damage
• although issues didn’t retract from research quality (e.g. validity and reliability); cost-benefit analysis must be conducted to assess whether costs are smaller than benefits of improved knowledge/understanding.

Question 10

• Cututal Bias

Answer 10

• Western Culture, carried out in USA
• individualist/collectivist divide makes the findings non-generalisable
• culture-bound, and findings can only be generalised within the cultures they are found within