Ainsworth Flashcards
sample of Ainsworth of strange situation
Baltimore USA studied 26 families(mother and baby)
describe the procedure of the strange situation
-structured covert observation in a lab set up to look like a play room ,tinted glass so researcher could observe
-mother and child are in room together and whether or not child goes to play with toys is used to measure if child uses mother as secure base
-stranger comes into room ,talks to mother and tries to engage with child in mothers presence
-mother leaves room leaving baby with stranger, stranger tries to engage and console child and stranger anxiety is measured
-mother returns according to distress of child and consoles child if needed and stranger leaves room
-mother then leaves child alone in room and separation anxiety is measured
-stranger enters room with child alone and tries to play
-mother returns and reunion behaviour is measured
what were the 3 types of attachment in her results
-type A =avoidant
-type B=secure
-type C=insecure resistant
what were the % of each type of attachment in the results
-avoidant =20%
-secure=70%
-insecure resistant=10%
what type of parenting caused each attachment type
-avoidant=neglectful
-secure=responsive
-insecure resistant=inconsistent
what were the results for securely attached children
-used parents as a secure base as they were happy to explore and play with toys
-they showed stranger anxiety when left alone with the stranger and couldnt be comforted by stranger=showed distress
-they had separation anxiety
-they were happy to see parent and easily comforted in reunion behaviour
what were the results for avoidant attached children
-didnt use a secure base, explore without comfort
-no stranger anxiety
-no separation anxiety
-no comfort needed , werent bothered when parent returned in reunion behaviour
what were the results for insecure resistant children
-no secure base, clingy and didnt explore
-had lots of stranger anxiety
-lots of separation anxiety
-difficult to comfort and lashed out at mother during reunion behaviour
what was Ainsworths conclusion
there are different types of attachment shown by differences in behaviour and these attachment types are caused by parenting
what was Ainsworths aim
investigate emotional attachment behaviours
Strengths of Ainsworth’s study
-low chance of demand characteristics due to babies being used in study who dont understand they are in a study so will only show genuine behaviours and they were also covertly observed=valid
-highly standardised procedure like same stranger and same set up of room =easy repeat=reliable
-high control over EVs=lab study=valid
-high ecological validity as lab is disguised as playroom so setting didnt seem artificial and behaviour wouldnt change=valid
Weaknesses of Ainsworths study
-used observations=open to interpretation=subjective =less valid -OTOH many researchers observed and interpreted behaviour so study has interater-reliability
-ethical issues like pfh as mothers were harmed by type c children and babies were also very distressed=less credible -OTOH-mothers consented
-sample all from usa=ethnocentric=not gen OTOH-study was also done in uganda so more representive
-low mundane realisim as parents wouldnt usually leave baby with random stranger in new enviorment=cant be applied irl=less valid
Strengths of Ainsworths theory
-supported by ainsworths strange situation study found children with secure attachment had responsive parents = more valid
-supported by Isabella who found more attentive parents to their children had more securely attached children=more valid
-useful to accommodate parents need for maternity leave=can be applied irl=valid
Weakness of Ainsworths theory
-socially sensitive =blames mothers
-conflicted by Kagan who came up with the child temperament hypothesis and argued attachment is down to childs personality so theory too simplistic and ignores other factors=reductionist
-conflicted by Main and Soloman found a 4th type of attachment
