Ainsworth's Strange Situation - ATTACHMENT

Question 1

step/situation 1 in the Strange Situation

Answer 1

mother is alone in the room with the child

Question 2

step 2

Answer 2

a stranger enters the room and talks briefly to the mother

Question 3

step 3

Answer 3

the stranger leans forward and tries to engage with the infant through play and talk

Question 4

step 4

Answer 4

mother leaves the room. baby is left alone with the stranger. stranger tries to comfort baby if it gets upset

Question 5

step 5

Answer 5

mother returns to the room and the stranger leaves

Question 6

step 6

Answer 6

the mother leaves the room and the infant is alone

Question 7

step 7

Answer 7

instead of the mother, the stranger comes back and tries to comfort/play with the baby

Question 8

step 8

Answer 8

the mother re-enters the room and the stranger leaves

Question 9

what type of study was this

Answer 9

a controlled observation study

Question 10

what was the study designed to measure

Answer 10

the security of attachment that a child displays towards their caregiver

Question 11

where does the study take place

Answer 11

in a room with controlled conditions (i.e. a laboratory)

Question 12

who took part in the study

Answer 12

100 middle class American infants and their mothers

Question 13

what did the study consist of

Answer 13

a series of observations in a specific order - testing the hypothesis

Question 14

what were the three (original) types of attachment Ainsworth suggested

Answer 14

Insecure-avoidant
Secure
Insecure-resistant

Question 15

how did children who were insecure-avoidant explore

Answer 15

they explored freely, didn’t seek proximity

Question 16

did the insecure-avoidant children show secure-base behaviour

Answer 16

no, they explored freely

Question 17

how did children who were insecure-avoidant react when the mother left the room

Answer 17

showed little or no reaction

Question 18

how did children who were insecure-avoidant react when the mother returned

Answer 18

made little effort to make contact. did not require comfort at reunion stage

Question 19

how did insecure-avoidant children respond to the stranger

Answer 19

didn’t show stranger anxiety

Question 20

how did children who were secure explore

Answer 20

they explored happily, regularly went back to caregiver

Question 21

did secure children show secure base and proximity behaviour

Answer 21

yes, they returned to the caregiver regularly but explored contently

Question 22

how did secure children react to the mother leaving the room

Answer 22

usually showed moderate separation distress

Question 23

how did secure children react to the stranger

Answer 23

showed moderate stranger anxiety

Question 24

how did secure children respond to the mother returning

Answer 24

they required and accepted comfort on the reunion stage

Question 25

if the baby is: not bothered when mum comes back, they were classed as

Answer 25

insecure-avoidant

Question 26

if the baby: explores freely without bothering where mum is

Answer 26

insecure-avoidant

Question 27

if the baby:is moderately upset when mum goes

Answer 27

secure

Question 28

if the baby: does not explore very much; keeps very near mum

Answer 28

insecure-resistant attachment

Question 29

if the baby: is not bothered by the appearance of a stranger

Answer 29

insecure-avoidant

Question 30

if the baby: is not upset at all when mum goes

Answer 30

insecure-avoidant

Question 31

if the baby: is a little wary of the stranger

Answer 31

secure

Question 32

if the baby: explores happily while keeping an eye on mum

Answer 32

secure

Question 33

if the baby: does not like the stranger at all

Answer 33

insecure-resistant

Question 34

if the baby: is cross with mum on return and not easily comforted

Answer 34

insecure-resistant

Question 35

if the baby: is readily comforted by mum when she returns

Answer 35

secure

Question 36

what was the fourth attachment type Ainsworth added later on

Answer 36

“disorganised”

Question 37

why did Ainsworth add a fourth attachment type

Answer 37

construct validity was low, it became clear that some children didn’t fit into the original types well

Question 38

later study that links to the Strange Situation’s internal validity

Answer 38

Maine et al (1981) found children showed different ‘types’ with mothers/fathers

Question 39

what was Ainsworth’s coefficient

Answer 39

0.94

Question 40

what does the coefficient link to

Answer 40

inter-rater reliability

Question 41

what is a good coefficient score usually considered to be

Answer 41

0.80

Question 42

implications of research?

Answer 42

Ainsworth stated “secure attachment is the best type” and that they go on to lead better lives (higher IQ, more friends/money)
she later said: “parents who don’t achieve this are failing their children” - controversial obviously