Attachment : Ainsworth’s SS

Question 1

what was the aim of Ainsworth’s Strange Situation?

Answer 1

to be able to observe key attachment behaviours as means of assessing the quality of a baby’s attachment to their caregiver

Question 2

describe the setting of the Strange Situation

Answer 2

controlled observation
takes place in room with controlled conditions (e.g lab) with a 2-way mirror and/or cameras

Question 3

name the 5 behaviours used to judge attachment

Answer 3

proximity seeking
exploration and secure-base behaviour
stranger anxiety
separation anxiety
response to reunion

Question 4

name the three main types of attachment

Answer 4

secure attachment (b)
insecure avoidant (a)
insecure resistant (c)

Question 5

outline secure attachment

Answer 5

generally thought as of most desirable attachment type, associated with psychologically healthy outcomes
shown by moderate stranger and seperation anxiety and ease of comfort at reunion

Question 6

outline insecure-avoidant attachment

Answer 6

characterised by low anxiety but weak attachment
shown by low stranger + separation anxiety
little response at reunion, may avoid caregiver

Question 7

outline insecure-resistant attachment

Answer 7

characterised by strong attachment and high anxiety
shown by high levels of stranger and seperation anxiety
resistance of being comforted at reunion

Question 8

what are the percentages of each attachment classification in british babies?

Answer 8

type B - 60-75%
type A - 20-25%
type C - 3%

Question 9

name a strength of the Strange Situation (hint - outcomes)

Answer 9

good predictive validity
research shown type b babies tend to have better outcomes than others both in childhood and adulthood
better mental health in adult hood (ward et al., 2006)
babies assessed as having insecure-resistant tend to have worst outcomes
suggests the SS measures something meaningful in baby’s development

Question 10

name a strength of the strange situation (hint: reliability)

Answer 10

good inter-rater reliability
bick et al., 2012 tested inter-rater reliability for the SS for a team of trained observers + found agreement on attachment type in 94% cases
high reliability may be due to controlled conditions or easy to observe movements
means we can be confident that attachment type as assessed by the SS doesn’t depend on subjective judgements

Question 11

name a limitation of the strange situation

Answer 11

may be culture bound as developed in UK and US
babies have different experiences in different cultures and these experiences may affect their responses to the SS
Takashi (1986)
japense study, found babies displayed very high levels of seperation anxiety + so a disproportionate number were classified as insecure resistant
suggested this anxiety not due to high rates of attachment insecurity but to unusual nature of experience in japan where mother - baby separation is very rare
means that’s difficult to know what the SS is measuring when used outside of europe and US babies