Ainsworth’s Strange Situation Flashcards
What is The Strange Situation?
A controlled observation consisting of 7 3-minute episodes designed to measure attachment security between an infant and caregiver via behavioural categories such as stranger anxiety and proximity-seeking. It takes place in a singular room, often with toys inside.
What is the 1st episode of The Strange Situation?
The caregiver brings the baby into the room and encourages them to explore
What is the 2nd episode of The Strange Situation?
The stranger enters the room and approaches the baby
What is the 3rd episode of The Strange Situation?
The caregiver leaves the baby and the stranger together in the room
What is the 4th episode of The Strange Situation?
The stranger leaves and the caregiver returns
What is the 5th episode of The Strange Situation?
The caregiver leaves
What is the 6th episode of The Strange Situation?
The stranger returns
What is the 7th episode of The Strange Situation?
The caregiver returns
What are 6 behavioural categories used to measure attachment security in The Strange Situation?
- Proximity-seeking
- Exploration
- Secure base behaviour
- Stranger anxiety
- Separation anxiety
- Reunion behaviour
Describe Ainsworth’s Strange Situation Study
Observed 100 middle-class American infants and their mothers. From this, Ainsworth’s identified 3 main attachment types
What 3 main attachment types did Ainsworth’s identify?
- Secure attachment
- Insecure-Avoidant attachment
- Insecure-Resistant attachment
Describe how Secure Attachment presents itself in The Strange Situation
The infant explores freely but regularly returns to their caregiver. They display moderate stranger & separation anxiety. They need and accept comfort from the caregiver during the reunion stage.
Describe how Insecure-Avoidant Attachment presents itself in The Strange Situation
The infant explores freely, but doesn’t return to their caregiver. They display little to no stranger & separation anxiety. They don’t need and may even avoid comfort in the reunion stage.
Describe how Insecure-Resistant Attachment presents itself in The Strange Situation
The infant explores little and remains close to their caregiver. They display high levels of stranger and separation anxiety. They appear to need comfort but resist it in the reunion stage.
What percentages of British babies were classified as Securely Attached, Insecure-Avoidant Attached and Insecure-Resistant Attached?
- Secure- 75%
- Insecure-Avoidant- 20-25%
- Insecure-Resistant- 3%
What is the main criticism of Ainsworth’s Strange Situation?
It is culture-bound and may not be generalisable to other cultures (e.g. collectivistic ones or ones that encourage independence from an early age)
How can the methodology of The Strange Situation be criticised?
It lacks ecological validity as it takes place in an artificial, unnatural environment
What was the inter-observer reliability rate for The Strange Situation?
94%
Why has The Strange Situation have high internal validity?
It maintains a high degree of control over variables, such as ensuring the same stranger is used for each child
Is The Strange Situation replicable?
Yes
Why is The Strange Situation important?
Studies suggest that children who are securely attached are less likely to be involved with bullying (Myron-Wilson & Smith) and have better quality, longer lasting later relationships (Hazan & Shaver). This suggests it measures something important and meaningful in terms of development
Why can’t Ainsworth’s Strange Situation Study be generalised?
- She only studied American, middle-class infants and their attachment with their mothers
