Ainsworth's Strange Situation

Question 1

Ainsworth Strange Situation?

Answer 1

Prox. to mum
reunion resp 
Exploration/secure base
stranger anx
sep anx
mothers sens respons

Question 2

procedure of SS

Answer 2

Infants 
12-18th months old
7 stages, 3 mins each
Infants response recorded 
Later analysed

Question 3

What were the stages of the SS?

Answer 3

1. M + C enter room
2. S enters - talks to M then to C
3. M leaves room, C alone with S
4. M Returns, S leaves
5. M leaves C alone
6. S returns, speaks to C
7. M returns, S leaves

Question 4

What were the purposes of these stages?

Answer 4

Safe base and explore - 1,4
Sep Anx - 3,5
Reunion Resp - 4,7
Stranger Anx - 2,3,6

Question 5

What were the three attachment types?

Answer 5

Type A - Insecure Avoidant - distance from mother, explore freely, low sep and stranger anx
Type B - Secure - Mother safe base as exp the enviro. High stranger and high sep anx BUT reunion helps settle into exploration again. M shows sensitive resp.
Type C - Insecure Resistant - Not explore enviro, inconsistent about wanting closeness with mum. High stranger and sep anx. Unable to settle when reunion. Mother inconsist. sens responsive.

Question 6

EVAL: + GENERALISABLE

Answer 6

High controlled obs research. Clear standard. procedure and behavioural categ. replicated in other cultures. VERY GENERALISABLE

Question 7

EVAL: + RESEPECTED

Answer 7

Has been used in variety of contexts. Standard diagnostic tool to measure strength and type of relationship.

Question 8

EVAL: - PROBLEMS LACKS POP. VALID.

Answer 8

Standards of insecure avoidant (Germ) and insecure resistant (Japan) could be seen as more desirable in their children so they can still be categorised but doesn’t mean BAD in other cultures. Also, COLLECTIVIST v INDIVIDUALISTIC CULTURES

Question 9

EVAL: - OBS ONLY A SNAPSHOT

Answer 9

Only snapshot, doesn’t show their relationship with other family members or in familiar environments

Question 10

EVAL: - NEGATIVE LABEL OF ‘INSECURE’

Answer 10

Makes a judgement of the parenting style.

Question 11

EVAL: + GOOD PREDICTIVE VALID.

Answer 11

Type B tend to do better in school (Kokkinos 2007) and better mental health (Ward 2006).

Question 12

EVAL: - MIGHT NOT BE TESTING ATTACH.

Answer 12

Kagan (1982) might be genetic anxiety levels, not attachment showing.

Question 13

EVAL: + GOOD RELIABILITY

Answer 13

inter-rater reliability assessed as 94% accurate in later studies (Bick et al 2012).

Question 14

EVAL: + BACKED UP BY FURTHER INVESTIGATION

Answer 14

Main and Solomon (1986) found a TYPE D. Mix of resistant and avoid, assoc. with traumatic childhood