At - Ainsworth's Strange Situation: Types of attachment

Question 1

What was the aim of Ainsworth’s Strange Situation?

Answer 1

To see how infants (aged between 9 and 18 months) behave under conditions of mild stress and also novelty.

Question 2

Describe the procedure of Ainsworth’s Strange Situation

Answer 2

9x9 foot space marked off into 16 squares in a research room to help in recording the infant’s movements.

8 episodes, each designed to highlight certain behaviours. The key features of these episodes is that the caregiver and stranger alternately stay with the infant or leave - enabling the observation of the infant’s response to:

• Separation from the caregiver (separation anxiety).
• Reunion with the caregiver (reunion behaviour).
• Response to a stranger (stranger anxiety).
• The novel environment, which aims to encourage exploration and thus tests the secure base concept.

Data collected by a group of observer using a video recorder or one-way mirror. They record what the infant is doing every 15s using the following behavioural categories:

• Proximity and contact-seeking behaviours.
• Contact-resisting behaviours.
• Proximity and interaction-avoiding behaviours.
• Contact and interaction-resisting behaviours.
• Search behaviours.

Each item was scored for intensity on a scale of 1 to 7.

Question 3

What were the 8 episodes in Ainsworth’s Strange Situation and what did they assess?

Answer 3

1. Parent and infant play - /
2. Parent sits while infant plays - use of parent as secure base.
3. Stranger enters and talks to parent - stranger anxiety.
4. Parent leaves, infant plays, stranger offers comfort if needed - separation anxiety.
5. Parent returns, greets infant, offers comfort if needed; stranger leaves - reunion behaviour.
6. Parent leaves, infant alone - separation anxiety.
7. Stranger enters and offers comfort - stranger anxiety.
8. Parent returns, greets infant, offers comfort - reunion behaviour.

Question 4

What were the findings of Ainsworth’s Strange Situation?

Answer 4

Similarity and differences were noted in the way the infants behaved.

Similarities - exploratory behaviours declined in all infants from episode 2 onwards, whereas the amount of crying increased.

Differences - 3 main patterns of behaviour/3 different types of attachment (A, B, and - A was insecure-avoidant, B was secure and C was insecure-resistant).

Question 5

Where did Ainsworth get her findings from in the Strange Situation?

Answer 5

Several studies, to make a total of 106 middle-class infants observed.

Question 6

What were the 3 clusters/types of attachments Ainsworth devised from the Strange Situation?

Answer 6

Type A - Insecure-avoidant
Type B - Secure
Type C - Insecure-resistant

Question 7

Describe the characteristics of infants who show secure attachment

Answer 7

• Harmonious and cooperative interactions with their caregiver.
• Not likely to cry if the caregiver leaves the room and show some distress when left with a stranger.
• When anxious they seek close bodily contact with the caregiver and are easily soothed, but may be reluctant to leave their caregiver’s side prematurely.
• They seek and are comfortable with social interaction and intimacy.
• Use caregiver as a secure base from which to explore and thus is able to function independently.

Question 8

Describe the characteristics of infants who show insecure-avoidant attachment

Answer 8

• Tend to avoid social interaction and intimacy with others.
• Show little response to separation and do not seek the proximity of their caregiver on reunion.
• If the infant is picked up he/she shows little or no tendency to cling or resist being put down.
• They are happy to explore with or without the presence of their caregiver.
• High levels of anxiousness.

Question 9

Describe the characteristics of infants who show insecure-resistant attachment

Answer 9

• Both seeks and resists intimacy and social interaction.
• Respond to separation from their caregiver with immediate and intense distress, and behave similarly towards strangers.
• On reunion, such children display conflicting desires for and against contact; they may angrily resist being picked up while also trying other means to maintain proximity.

Question 10

What is the willingness to explore like for each of the 3 types of attachment described by Ainsworth?

Answer 10

A/I-A = high
B/S = high
C/I-R = low

Question 11

What is the stranger anxiety like for each of the 3 types of attachment described by Ainsworth?

Answer 11

A/I-A = low
B/S = moderate
C/I-R = high

Question 12

What is the separation anxiety like for each of the 3 types of attachment described by Ainsworth?

Answer 12

A/I-A = indifferent
B/S = some easy to soothe
C/I-R = distressed

Question 13

What is the behaviour at reunion with caregiver like for each of the 3 types of attachment described by Ainsworth?

Answer 13

A/I-A = avoids contact
B/S = enthusiastic
C/I-R = seeks and rejects

Question 14

What is the percentage of infants in this category like for each of the 3 types of attachment described by Ainsworth?

Answer 14

A/I-A = 22%
B/S = 66%
C/I-R = 12%

Question 15

Insecure-avoidant

Answer 15

A type of attachment which describes those children who tend to avoid social interaction and intimacy with others.

Question 16

Insecure-resistant

Answer 16

A type of attachment which describes those infants who both seek and reject intimacy and social interaction, i.e. resist.

Question 17

Secure attachment

Answer 17

This is a strong and contented attachment of an infant to his or her caregiver, which develops as a result of sensitive responding by the caregiver to the infant’s needs. Securely attached infants are comfortable with social interaction and intimacy. Secure attachment is related to healthy subsequent cognitive and emotional development.

Question 18

Strange Situation

Answer 18

A controlled observation designed to test attachment security.