Ainsworth Strange Situation

Question 1

What are the five behaviours used to judge attachment?

Answer 1

Proximity seeking
Exploration & secure base behaviour
Stranger anxiety
Separation anxiety
Response to reunion

Question 2

Outline the stages in Ainsworth’s strange situation

Answer 2

1) Baby encouraged to explore
2) Stranger enters, talks to caregiver and approaches baby
3) Caregiver leaves baby and stranger alone
4) Caregiver returns and stranger leaves
5) Caregiver leaves baby alone
6) Stranger returns
7) Caregiver returns & reunited with baby

Question 3

What are the three attachment styles and percentages of each in the study?

Answer 3

Secure - 60-70%
Insecure resistant - 3%
Insecure avoidant - 20-25%

Question 4

What behaviours are associated with each attachment style?

Answer 4

Secure - Moderate proximity seeking + exploration, show some distress at separation + strangers but easily called, seek + accept comfort from caregiver at reunion
Insecure-resistant High proximity seeking (clingy), little exploration, extreme distress at separation + strangers, at reunion seek comfort but resist it, not easily calmed
Insecure-avoidant - Low proximity-seeking, high exploration, show little distress at separation + strangers, at reunion ignore caregiver + do not seek comfort

Question 5

Give an advantage of Ainsworth’s strange situation

Answer 5

+ Standardised procédure - same in all trials; high IV, also had control of EVs e.g. had multiple observers so high inter observer reliability

Question 6

Give limitations of Ainsworth’s strange situation

Answer 6

— Sampling only studied American & UK babies, only mothers —> low population validity , gender & cultural bias, other collectivist cultures may have less stranger anxiety but be judged as ‘abnormal’
— Ecological validity - took place in a lab rather than homes, unfamiliar setting may have influenced behaviori