Attachment - Ainsworth's types of attachment Flashcards
What is the ‘Strange situation’?
Most commonly used ‘test’ to measure infant attachment styles (Ainsworth and Bell 1970)
Controlled observation - infant reactions (to 7 stages, 3 mins each) measured playing in unfamiliar room
What behaviours were measured?
- Stranger anxiety
- Separation anxiety
- Reunion behaviour
- Proximity searching
- Exploration and safe base
What were the 7 stages?
- Exploration
- Stranger talks to caregiver, approaches baby
- Caregiver leaves baby and stranger together
- Caregiver returns, stranger leaves
- Caregiver leaves baby alone
- Stranger returns
- Caregiver reunites with baby
What were the three attachment types and their type names?
- Secure (type B)
- Insecure-avoidant (type A)
- Insecure-resistant (type C)
How many children were classified as (secure - type B)?
60-75%
How many children were classified as (insecure-avoidant - type A)?
20-25%
How many children were classified as (insecure-resistant - type C)?
3%
What did (type B) show with regards to secure base?
Happy to explore but will return to caregiver occasionally to check in
What did (type B) show with regards to separation anxiety?
Moderate
What did (type B) show with regards to stranger anxiety?
Moderate
What did (type B) show with regards to reunion behaviour?
Pleased to see caregiver and accepts comfort
What did (type A) show with regards to secure base?
Explores freely and doesn’t return
What did (type A) show with regards to separation anxiety?
Low
What did (type A) show with regards to stranger anxiety?
Low
What did (type A) show with regards to reunion behaviour?
Avoids contact
What did (type C) show with regards to secure base?
Explores less and seeks proximity
What did (type C) show with regards to separation anxiety?
High
What did (type C) show with regards to stranger anxiety?
High
What did (type C) show with regards to reunion behaviour?
Resists comfort
