Ainsworth's 'Strange Situations'

Question 1

What were the 3 attachment types that Ainsworth identified?

Answer 1

1. Secure
2. Insecure-avoidant
3. Insecure-resistant

Question 2

How is secure attachment type charactercised?

Answer 2

-Infant uses the caregiver as a secure base.
-Moderate separation and stranger anxiety.
-Joy on reunion

Question 3

How is insecure-avoidant attachment type charactercised?

Answer 3

-Low stranger and separation anxiety.
-Little response to reunion (avoidance of caregiver).

Question 4

How is insecure-resistant attachment type charactercised?

Answer 4

-High levels of stranger and separation anxiety.
-Altering between seeking closeness and wanting distance at contact.

Question 5

What was the aim of Ainsworth’s study?

Answer 5

To observe key attachment behaviours to assess the quality of a child’s attachment to a caregiver.

Question 6

Where did the study take place?

Answer 6

In a purpose built laboratory playroom (controlled observation).

Question 7

What was the sample Ainsworth used?

Answer 7

American infants aged 12-18 months.

Question 8

What was the ‘strange situation’?

Answer 8

8, 3 minute episodes with the mother and stranger entering and exiting etc.

Question 9

What were the 5 behaviours used to judge attachment?

Answer 9

-Proximity seeking
-Stranger/separation anxiety
-Response to reunion
-Exploration
-Secure base behaviour

Question 10

What did Ainsworth find?

Answer 10

Secure= 70%

Insecure-avoidant= 15%

Insecure-resistant= 15%

Question 11

What did Ainsworth conclude?

Answer 11

Infants have individual differences which may be related to the behaviour and responses of a caregiver.

Question 12

Give an advantage of Ainsworth’s study

Answer 12

+No demand characteristics or social desirability bias.
The babies aren’t aware that they are being tested on so they have no screw/pls you phenomena.
However, this means it is purely based on inferences because you can’t ask the babies why they acted like that, which decreases the validity.

Question 13

Give limitations of Ainsworth’s study.

Answer 13

-It was created and tested in the USA with American children which could mean it is culturally biased.

-It lacks ecological validity.
3 minute snapshots, they aren’t real life scenarios. Also conducted in a lab so the situation and environment is not realistic.

-There may be more types of attachment.
Ainsworth overlooked a 4th type of attachment (insecure-disorganised, which is characterised by a lack of consistent patterns of social behaviour).
This decreases the reliability of the results.