Attachment- Mary Ainsworth’s Strange Situation

Question 1

What was the aim of Mary Ainsworth’s strange situation?

Answer 1

Controlled observation which aimed to test/assess quality of attachment- security.

Question 2

What was the method of Mary Ainsworth’s strange situation?

Answer 2

1. child encouraged to explore
   Tests exploration and secure base behaviour
2. stranger enters and tries to interact with child
   Tests stranger anxiety
3. caregiver leaves child and stranger together
   Tests separation and stranger anxiety
4. stranger leaves and caregiver returns
   Tests reunion/secure base behaviour
5. caregiver leaves child alone
   Tests separation anxiety
6. stranger returns
   Tests stranger anxiety
7. caregiver returns and is reunited with child
   Tests reunion behaviour

Question 3

Explain type A attachment- insecure-avoidant.

Answer 3

22% toddlers.
Explore freely with no secure base behaviour, require a little comfort at reunion stage, show little stranger and separation anxiety.

Question 4

Explain type B attachment- secure.

Answer 4

66% toddlers.
Explore happily but regularly return to caregiver, moderate separation and stranger anxiety, require and accept comfort at reunion.

Question 5

Explain type C attachment- insecure-resistant.

Answer 5

12% toddlers.
Explore less, huge stranger/separation anxiety, resist comfort when reunited with caregiver.

Question 6

What are 2 strengths of Mary Ainsworth’s strange situation?

Answer 6

Controlled conditions.
Strict controlled methods with predetermined behaviour categories.
94% agreement between observers.
High inter-observer reliability.

Supporting evidence.
Van Ljzendoorn and kroonenberg
High cross-cultural validity.

Question 7

What is a weakness of Mary Ainsworth’s strange situation?

Answer 7

Artificial setting.
Unfamiliar- could be an extraneous variable.
Low internal validity.