Ainsworth's strange situation study

Question 1

why is ainsworth’s study important?

Answer 1

the strange situation is the accepted paradigm for measuring attachment types in children

Question 2

what is aim 1 of Ainsworth’s study?

Answer 2

to assess how infants between 9-18 months old behave under conditions of mild stress and novelty, in order to test stranger anxiety, separation anxiety and the secure base concept

Question 3

what is aim 2 of ainsworth’s study?

Answer 3

to assess individual differences between mother-infant pairs in terms of the quality of their attachments

Question 4

how long did the stranger situation last for?

Answer 4

the stranger situation consisted of 8 episodes each lasted for about 3 minutes except one which lasted for 30 seconds

Question 5

procedure of ainsworths study?

Answer 5

1. observer introduces mother and infant to room then leaves
2. mother is passive, infant explores
3. stranger enters and is silent for for 1st min, for second mother and stranger chat and for 3rd stranger approaches infant and mother leaves
4. first separation episode, strangers behavior is geared towards infant
5. first reunion episode, stranger leaves mother greets and comforts child, mother engages infant in play then leaves
6. the infants is alone for the 2nd separation episode
7. the stranger enters and gears her behaviour to that of the infant
8. 2nd reunion episode the mother enters greets and then picks up the child whilst stranger leaves

Question 6

what are the 5 behaviours which were recorded?

Answer 6

• proximity and contact seeking behavior
• contact maintaining behaviors
• proximity and interaction avoiding behaviors
• contact and interaction resisting behaviors
• search behaviors

Question 7

what are the findings of Ainsworth’s study?

Answer 7

-generally infants explored the playroom and toys more when the mother was present than when the stranger was present

Question 8

what 3 types of attachments were reflected by reunion behaviours?

Answer 8

insecure-avoidant
securely attached
insecure resistant

Question 9

what is insecure avoidant?

Answer 9

infants willing to explore
have low stranger anxiety
unconcerned by separation
avoid contact at return of caregiver

Question 10

What is securely attached?

Answer 10

infants keen to explore
have higher stranger anxiety
easy to calm and enthusiastic at return of carer
caregivers are sensitive to infants needs

Question 11

what is insecure resistant?

Answer 11

infants are unwilling to explore
have high stranger anxiety
upset by separation
seek and reject contact at return of caregiver

Question 12

what is one evaluation point of the study?

Answer 12

the strange situation testing procedure has become an accepted paradigm

Question 13

another evaluation point?

Answer 13

the strange situation focuses too much on behavior of infants and not enough of the mothers which could distort results

Question 14

3rd evaluation point?

Answer 14

it has been labelled unethical as it deliberately stresses infants to test their reactions

Question 15

4th evaluation point?

Answer 15

it assumes that attachment types are fixed characteristics of children but classification can change if family circumstances change, e.g mothers stress levels

Question 16

what did main and solomon (1986) find which is linked to evaluation?

Answer 16

found an additional attachment type
insecure dis-organised (TYPE D)
displayed by a small number of children whose behavior was disorganised