Ainsworth's Strange Situation

Question 1

what is the strange situation

Answer 1

a controlled observation designed to test attachment security

Question 2

what is secure attachment and how is this displayed in the strange situation

Answer 2

• the most desirable attachment type
• associated with psychologically healthy outcomes
• moderate stranger and seperation anxiety
• ease of comfort at reunion

Question 3

what is insecure avoidant attachment and how is this displayed in the strange situation

Answer 3

• characterised by low anxiety but weak attachment
• low stranger and seperation anxiety
• little response at reunion

Question 4

what is insecure resistant attachment type and how is this displayed in the strange situation

Answer 4

• characterised by strong attachment and high anxiety
• high levels of stranger and seperation anxiety
• resistant to being comforted at reunion

Question 5

what was judged in the strange situation

Answer 5

• proximity seeking
• exploration
• secure base behaviour
• stranger anxiety
• seperation anxiety
• response to reunion

Question 6

explain the procedure of the strange situation

Answer 6

• controlled observation desiged to measure the attachment a baby displays
• takes place in a room with specific conditions
• two way mirros or camera which psychologists observe the behaviour of

Question 7

explain all 7 episodes of the strange situation and what it assesses

Answer 7

1. baby is encouraged to explore - tests exploration
2. stranger comes in and approaches the baby - tests stranger anxiety
3. caregiver leaves the baby and stranger together - tests seperation and stranger anxiety
4. caregiver returns and the stranger leaves - tests reunion behaviour and secure base
5. caregiver leaves the baby alone - tests sepertion anxiety
6. stranger returns - tests stranger anxiety
7. caregiver returns and reunites with baby - tests reunion behaviour

Question 8

what is attachment type b

Answer 8

secure attachment

Question 9

what is attachment type a

Answer 9

insecure avoidant attachment

Question 10

what is attachment type C

Answer 10

insecure resistant attachment

Question 11

how did secure attachment behave in the strange situation

Answer 11

• explore happily but regularly go back to their caregiver
• show moderate seperation and stranger anxiety
• require and accept comfort from caregiver at reunion

Question 12

what percentage of children in Ainsworth’s study was securely attached

Answer 12

70%

Question 13

how did insecure avoidant attachment behave in the strange situation

Answer 13

• explore freely but do not seek proximity
• little seperation and stranger anxiety
• may avoid contact at reunion

Question 14

what percentage of children in Ainsworth’s study was insecure avoidant

Answer 14

15%

Question 15

how did insecure resistant attachment behave in the strange situation

Answer 15

• seek greater proximity
• high levels of seperation and stranger anxiety
• resistant when reunited with caregiver

Question 16

what percentage of children in Ainsworth’s study was insecure resistant attachment

Answer 16

15%

Question 17

what did main and solomon find in relation to the strange situation

Answer 17

• found an additional attachment type, insecure disorganised
• their behaviour was a confusing mixture of resistant and avoidant behaviours

Question 18

what have insecure resistant attachment types been linked with

Answer 18

• linked with poorer outcomes such as bullying

Question 19

Japan

expain the study that contradicts the strange situation

Answer 19

takahashi

• babies displayed very high levels of seperation anxiety so a disproportianate were classed as insecure resistant
• takahashi suggests the anxiety respomse was due to the unusual nature of the experince in japan where mother baby seperation is very rare