Ainsworth's strange situation

Question 1

How did Ainsworth continue to the psychological theory of attachment?

Answer 1

Ainsworth produced a method to assess the strength of attachment between an infant and others. This method of assessment is called the Strange Situation.

Question 2

Ainsworth devised a method of assessment known as the strange situation. What is the Strange Situation?

Answer 2

The strange situation is a controlled observation procedure designed to measure the security of attachment a child displays towards a caregiver. It takes place in a room with controlled conditions and a two-way mirror through which psychologists can observe the infant’s behaviour.

Question 3

When was the Strange Situation developed by Mary Ainsworth?

Answer 3

Ainsworth developed the strange situation in 1969.

Question 4

What did Ainsworth aim to observe using the Strange Situation?

Answer 4

Ainsworth’s aim was to be able to observe key attachment behaviours as a means of assessing the quality of a child’s attachment to a caregiver.

Question 5

Several behaviours can be used to judge attachment. Which behaviours were observed during the strange situation?

Answer 5

• Proximity seeking
• Exploration and secure-base
• Stranger anxiety
• Separation anxiety
• Response to reunion

Question 6

How can the observation of proximity seeking behaviour further a psychologist’s understand of one’s attachment type?

Answer 6

An infant with a good attachment will stay fairly close to the caregiver.

Question 7

How can the observation of exploration and secure-base behaviour further a psychologist’s understand of one’s attachment type?

Answer 7

Good attachment enables a child to feel confident to explore, using their caregiver as a secure base. The caregiver acts as a point of contact that will make an infant feel safe.

Question 8

How can the observation of stranger anxiety further a psychologist’s understand of one’s attachment type?

Answer 8

One of the signs of becoming closely attached is a display of anxiety when a stranger approaches.

Question 9

How can the observation of separation anxiety further a psychologist’s understand of one’s attachment type?

Answer 9

One of the signs of becoming closely attached is to protest at separation from the caregiver.

Question 10

What did Ainsworth aim to observe at the reunion stage?

Answer 10

Ainsworth aimed to observe the response to reunion with the caregiver after separation for a short period of time.

Question 11

How many episodes was Ainsworth’s procedure composed of?

Answer 11

Ainsworth’s procedure was composed of seven episodes.

Question 12

How long did each of the seven episodes last?

Answer 12

Each episode lasted a total of three minutes.

Question 13

What were Ainsworth’s seven episodes?

Answer 13

Beginning: Child and caregiver enter an unfamiliar playroom.

-The child is encouraged to
explore

-A stranger comes in and tries
to interact with the child

-The caregiver leaves the child
and stranger together

-The caregiver returns and the
stranger leaves

• The caregiver leaves the
  child alone
• The stranger returns
• The caregiver returns and is
  reunited with the child

Question 14

During the first episode the child is encouraged to explore. What type of behaviour does this test?

Answer 14

Exploration and secure base

Question 15

During the second episode the stranger comes in and tries to interact with the child. What type of behaviour does this test?

Answer 15

Stranger anxiety

Question 16

During the third episode the caregiver leaves the child and the stranger together. What type of behaviour does this test?

Answer 16

Separation and stranger anxiety

Question 17

During the fourth episode the caregiver returns and the stranger leaves. What type of behaviour does this test?

Answer 17

Reunion behaviour and secure base

Question 18

During the fifth episode the caregiver leaves the child alone. What type of behaviour does this test?

Answer 18

Separation anxiety

Question 19

During the sixth episode the stranger returns. What type of behaviour does this test?

Answer 19

Stranger anxiety

Question 20

During the seventh episode the caregiver returns and is reunited with the child. What type of behaviour does this test?

Answer 20

Reunion behaviour

Question 21

What was proposed as a result of Ainsworth’s research into attachment?

Answer 21

From her research, Ainsworth found that there were distinct patterns in the way that infants behaved. She identified three main types of attachment.

Question 22

What are the three types of attachment identified by Ainsworth?

Answer 22

Secure attachment (Type B)
Insecure-avoidant (Type A)
Insecure resistant (Type C)

Question 23

What type of behaviour will be displayed by children with a secure attachment type?

Answer 23

These children explore happily but regularly go back to their caregiver (proximity seeking and secure base). They show moderate separation distress and moderate stranger anxiety. Securely attached children require and accept comfort from the caregiver in the reunion stage.

Question 24

What percentage of British toddlers are classified as secure?

Answer 24

60-75% of British toddlers are classified as secure.

Question 25

What type of behaviour will be displayed by children with insecure-avoidant attachment?

Answer 25

These children explore freely but do not seek proximity or show secure base behaviour. They show little or no reaction when their caregiver leaves and they make little effort to make contact when the caregiver returns. They show little stranger anxiety and do not require comfort at the reunion stage.

Question 26

What percentage of British toddlers are classified as insecure-avoidant?

Answer 26

20-25% of toddlers are classified as insecure-avoidant.

Question 27

What type of behaviour will be displayed by children with insecure-resistant attachment?

Answer 27

These children seek greater proximity and explore less. They show huge stranger and separation distress but they resist comfort when reunited with the carer.

Question 28

What percentage of British toddlers are classified as insecure-resistant?

Answer 28

Around 3% of British toddlers are classified as insecure-resistant.