Ainsworth’s Strange Situation

Question 1

what was the aim of the observation?

Answer 1

to be able to observe key attachment behaviours as a means of assessing the quality of a babies attachment to a caregiver.

Question 2

what was the method?

Answer 2

controlled observation procedure in a lab with a two way mirror through which psychologists can observe a babies behaviour.

Question 3

what was the design?

Answer 3

repeated measures.

Question 4

what was the IV?

Answer 4

the seven different episodes of the strange situation (mother leaves and mother returns).

Question 5

what was the DV?

Answer 5

the babies responses - including separation anxiety, stranger anxiety, reunion behaviour, seeking proximity and secure base behaviour.

Question 6

Outline proximity seeking.

Answer 6

well attached babies stay close to caregiver.

Question 7

Outline exploration and secure base behaviour.

Answer 7

good attachment makes a baby confident to explore, using caregiver as a point of safety.

Question 8

Outline stranger anxiety.

Answer 8

displayed by well attached babies.

Question 9

Outline separation anxiety.

Answer 9

displayed by well attached babies.

Question 10

Outline reunion when caregiver returns after separation.

Answer 10

well attached babies are enthusiastic.

Question 11

what were the seven episodes of the strange situation?

Answer 11

baby is encouraged to explore by caregiver = exploration and secure base.

stranger enters and talks to caregiver and approaches baby = stranger anxiety.

caregiver leaves = separation and stranger anxiety.

caregiver returns and stranger leaves = reunion behaviour and secure base.

caregiver leaves baby alone = separation anxiety.

stranger returns = stranger anxiety.

Question 12

what were the three main types of attachment found?

Answer 12

secure, insecure avoidant and insecure resistant.

Question 13

findings - secure attachment

Answer 13

60% to 75% of british toddlers are classified as secure.

• baby happy to explore but seeks proximity to caregiver (secure base).
• shows moderate separation anxiety and stranger anxiety.
• requires and accepts comfort from caregiver on reunion.

Question 14

findings - insecure avoidant

Answer 14

20% to 25% of british toddlers are classified as insecure avoidant.

• baby explores freely but does not seek proximity (no secure base).
• shows little/no separation and stranger anxiety.
• avoids contact at the reunion stage.

Question 15

findings - insecure resistant

Answer 15

3% of british toddlers are classified as insecure resistant.

• baby explores less and seeks greater proximity.
• shows considerable stranger and separation anxiety.
• resists comfort when reunited with caregiver.

Question 16

what conclusions were drawn?

Answer 16

mothers cause different types of attachment:

• sensitive, reponsive and caring to child = secure attachment.
• inconsistent mothers create anxious resistant infants.
• ambivalent mothers who dismiss their infant creates avoidant infants.

Question 17

limitation - issues with categories

Answer 17

main and cassidy (1988) identified a further group of children. this classification group is referred to as disorganised (type D) - a mix of resistant and avoidant behaviours.

however type D babies are unusual and have generally experienced some form of severe neglect or abuse, associated with later psychological disorders.

this means that ainsworths classification is adequate as a description of normal variations in attachment.

Question 18

strength - good predictive validity

Answer 18

attachment type predicts later development. for example, secure babies typically have greater success at school and less involvement in bullying.

in contrast insecure resistant attachment is associated with the worst outcomes (bullying) and adult mental health problems.

this is evidence for the validity of the concept because it can explain (predict) future outcomes.

Question 19

counter - predictive validity

Answer 19

although the strange situation measures that predicts later development, it may be measuring genetic differences in anxiety.

for example, kagan (1982) suggested that genetically influenced anxiety levels could account for variations in attachment behaviour in the strange situation and later development.

this means that the strange situation may not actually measure attachment.

Question 20

strength - inter rater reliability

Answer 20

different observers watching the same babies generally agree on attachment type - bick (2012) tested inter rater reliability for the SS for a team of trained observers and found agreement on attachment type in 94% of cases.

this may be because the strange SS takes place under controlled conditions and because the behavioural categories (large movements) are easy to observe - anxious babies cry and crawl away from strangers.

this means that we can be confident that attachment type as assessed by the SS does not depend on subjective judgements.

Question 21

limitation - ecological validity

Answer 21

is it measuring what would happen in the real world as it took place in a laboratory setting as a controlled observation meaning mothers could have behaved differently due to demand characteristics or social desirability bias being watched with their child.

however, there is a relationship between validity and reliability and if a study is consistent in its findings it tends to be seen as valid and this is the case with the strange situation.

Question 22

limitation - population validity

Answer 22

it would be unreasonable to make generalisations about all infant behaviour on the basis of this sample. the study and its findings are restricted to middle class american infants = culturally biased.

Question 23

limitation - culture bound

Answer 23

the strange situation test might not have the same meaning in countries outside europe and the US where it was created.

cultural differences in childrens experiences mean they respond differently - for example, takahashi found that japanese babies show high level of anxiety because they are not used to being left by caregiver. so a disproportionate number were classified as insecure resistant.

this means it is difficult to know what the strange situation is measuring in some countries/cultures when used outside europe and the US.