ainsworths strange situation Flashcards
what was the procedure (7)
106 American children between 12-18 months
1) PCG and infant play
2) PCG sits whilst infant plays- lets them explore whilst PCG acts as secure base
3) A stranger enters and talks to the PCG
4) PCG leaves the infant and stranger together
5) PCG returns and the stranger leaves
6) Caregiver leaves infant alone
7) PCG returns and greets the infant
what % were SA
65%
what % were IR
14%
what % were IA
21%
what was the independant variable
the changing social environment to observe how infants react.
what was the dependant variable
infant’s behavior
what were examples of this (5)
Proximity-seeking
Exploration
Stranger anxiety
Separation anxiety
Reunion behavior
what was the controlled variable (3)
The setting (a controlled lab environment)
The stranger’s behavior
The mother’s behavior during each phase
these ensured that any differences in behavior were likely due to the child’s attachment style, not other factors
IA description (type A)
Infants do not show proximity-seeking or secure-base behaviour
Little or no reaction is seen to caregivers leaving and little or no stranger anxiety is observed
Infants do not make an effort to seek a caregiver upon reunion; avoidance of caregiver is observed
SA description (type B)
Infants show proximity-seeking and secure-base behaviour toward their caregiver
Moderate separation and stranger anxiety behaviour are seen
Reunion behaviour includes the need for comfort from the caregiver
IR description (type C)
Very clingy and reluctant to explore the environment, even when the caregiver was present.
Highly distressed around strangers
Showed extreme distress when the caregiver left (high separation anxiety).
On reunion, they sought contact but also resisted it e.g they might want to be picked up but then push the caregiver away or show anger- restricted comfort
what 2 weaknesses of this
ethnocentrism- etic approach (applies universal standards to study behavior across cultures)
so they assumed it was a valid measure for all cultures.
reductionist
what were chinas statistics
SA: 50%
IR: 25%
IA: 25%
what were germanys statistics
SA: 57%
IR: 35%
IA: 8%
why are germanys IA rates higher
Germany’s higher rates of insecure-avoidant attachment align with its emphasis on independence rather than attachment issues.
what can we conclude from this
using a Western tool globally may mislabel healthy behaviors in other cultures as “insecure” as it pushes what is relevant to western cultures onto all trying to make it a universal law.
low internal validity, inaccurate conclusions
limits generalizability
limits explanatory power
whats a strengths
high inter-observer reliability, ensuring consistency in attachment classification
who provided evidence for the first point
Bick et al
what did he find
94% inter-rater reliability when assessing attachment types among 55 observers
what can we conclude from this
empirical evidence
suggests that the attachment types are being measured in a consistent and objective way, supporting the internal validity of the method.
enhances the credibility of as a standardized measure of attachment
why is this reductionist
ignores the fact that infants form multiple attachments with fathers, grandparents, siblings etc so doesnt account for imdvidual differences
who provided evidence for this
Kagan (1982)
what was found
suggests that temperament- a child’s innate personality traits (e.g., being naturally more anxious or sociable)- may affect how they behave in the Strange Situation
what can we conclude from this
oversimplifies it- fails to capture the full complexity of how attachment develops and the variety of factors that influence it
lacks face validity because its design may not clearly measure attachment in ways that seem natural or applicable to everyday life which means an attachment to multiple people influencing behaviour
