Ainsworth Strange Situations

Question 1

What is Aisnworth strange situation?

Answer 1

It is in an observational method for testing the strength of attachment between a caregiver and an infant

Question 2

Outline the aim as method of Ainsworth strange situation research

Answer 2

Aim: To investigate the behaviours an infants displayed based on the strength of attachment they had with their caregiver.

Method: -Ainsworth observed children aged 9-18 months old through a one way mirror in 8 different situations each lasting approximately 3 minutes

• observations of the following behaviours were recorded: separation anxiety, stranger anxiety, reunion behaviour and exploration
• the first situation: the mother and infant would enter the room and the mother would sit on a chair and leave the baby free to play with toys (exploration was being tested)
• the second situation: A stranger would enter the room, sit on a chair and chat with the mother (stranger anxiety was being tested)
• the third situation: the stranger would approach the infant and interact with them (Stranger anxiety was being tested)
• The fourth situation: the mother leaves the room and the infant is alone with stranger and would be comforted by the stranger (stranger and separation anxiety)
• the fifth situation: the mother returns and the stranger leaves (reunion behaviour)
• the sixth situation: the mother departs again leaving the baby alone (separation anxiety)
• the seventh situation: stranger re enters the room and comforts the baby (Stranger anxiety)
• the eight situation: the mother returns and the stranger leaves (reunion behaviour)

Question 3

Outline the findings of Ainsworth strange situation

Answer 3

• 66% of children had a secure attachment with their caregiver
• 22% of children had a insecure avoidant attachment with their caregiver
• 12% of children had a insecure resistant attachment with their caregiver

secure children would show:

• moderate separation anxiety as they would be concerned or stressed when the mother would leave
• moderate stranger anxiety as they would be wary of strangers and move closer to the mothers,
• joy on reunion behaviour as they were easily comforted by the mother and would seek proximity
• they will use the mother as a safe base during exploration at regular intervals come back to the mother when exploring.

insecure avoidant children would:

• explore unfamiliar environments and not return to the mother
• show low separation anxiety and not be aware their mother is gone
• low stranger anxiety as they would not be concerned for strangers
• during reunion with caregiver they would not show joy and avoid intimacy

insecure resistant child would show:

• high separation anxiety as they would be extremely distressed
• high stranger anxiety as they would also be extremely distressed
• will not explore any unfamiliar environment and cling onto the mother
• resist mothers attempt to comfort them and not be easily comforted during reunion

Question 4

Identify AO3 paragraphs for Ainsworth strange situations

Answer 4

• lacks ecological validity
• overt observation (lowers internal validity)
• insecure disorganised

Question 5

Outline how Ainsworth strange situation lacks ecological validity

Answer 5

P: Ainsworth‘s research is criticised as it lacks ecological validity.

E: This is a result of the study being a controlled observation in an artificial environment. The children were observed in an environment unfamiliar to both the caregiver and the infant.

E: This means the infants could have behaved differently to how they normally would behave in a more familiar environment which would be their home.

L: Therefore we do not know and cannot conclude that the behaviours displayed during the 8 situations from the infants such as separation anxiety would be displayed in a normal environment, which means we cannot use Ainsworth strange situation to test for the strength of attachment an infant has with their caregiver

Question 6

Outline the methodological issues of Ainsworth strange situation

Answer 6

P: Ainsworth’s research is also criticised for its methodological issues.

E: The study involved using an overt observation through a one way mirror and the mothers were aware they were being observed.

E: This could have led to the mothers displaying certain behaviours they would not normally display and that seem socially desirable such as being more affectionate. Consequently this could have affected the behaviours the infant would have produced and may not have been a result of the type of attachment they had with their caregiver.

L: Therefore this decreases the validity of the observational method Ainsworth strange situation as it is not testing what it is set out to test which is the strength of attachment an infant has with their caregiver.

Question 7

Outline how their is an extra category for attachment types and how it criticises Ainsworth strange situation

Answer 7

P: there is a possibility that Ainsworth may have overlooked a fourth attachment type as Main and Solomon have provided research evidence to support it.

E: Main and Solomon conducted research investigating over a hundred clips of Ainsworth strange situation and found that some children showed inconsistent patterns in the behaviours that the observational method was set out to test.

E: They classified these children as having an insecure disorganised attachment with their primary caregiver. This is also supported by Van Ijzendoorn he conducted a meta analysis and found 15% of children also had this attachment type

L: Therefore this criticises Ainsworth for ignoring certain patterns of behaviours and limiting the amount of attachment types there are.