Attachment: Ainsworth's Strange Situation Flashcards
Proximity seeking
An infant with a good attachment will stay fairly close to the caregiver
Exploration and secure-based behaviour
Good attachment enables a child to feel confident to explore, using their caregiver as a secure base
Stranger anxiety
Distress when another adult approaches who is not the primary caregiver
Separation anxiety
Protest at separation from the caregiver
Response at reunion
The behaviour when the primary caregiver returns
Strange Situation procedure
The child is encouraged to explore. This tests exploration and secure-based behaviour
A stranger comes in and tries to interact with the child. This tests stranger anxiety
The caregiver leaves the child and the stranger together. This tests separation anxiety and stranger anxiety
The caregiver returns and the stranger leaves. This tests response at reunion
The caregiver leaves the child alone. This tests separation anxiety
The stranger returns. This tests stranger anxiety
The caregiver returns and is reunited with the child. This tests response at reunion
Type A: insecure-avoidant
These children explore freely but do not seek proximity or show secure-base behaviour. They show little or no reaction when their caregiver leaves and they make little effort to make contact when the caregiver returns. They also show little stranger anxiety. They do not require comfort at the reunion stage
20-25% of British toddlers
Type B: secure
These children explore happily but go back to their caregiver regularly. The usually show moderate separation anxiety and stranger anxiety. They require comfort from their caregiver at reunion stage.
60-75% of British toddlers
Type B: insecure-resistant
These children seek greater proximity than others and explore less. They show huge stranger anxiety and separation anxiety but they resist comfort when reunited with their carer.
3% of British toddlers
Strengths of the strange situation
Standardised procedure means high internal validity
Has practical application as it has helped parents form better attachments with their children
Weaknesses of the strange situation
Not a naturalistic observation as it did not take place in the babies’ homes
It was an overt observation and so mothers may have acted differently to impress the observer (social desirability bias)
It is culturally biased to western standards