Attachment - Strange situation

Question 1

What are the 3 types of attachment?

Answer 1

Secure
Insecure-avoidant
Insecure-resistant

Question 2

Describe how Ainsworth carried out her study on the ‘strange situation’.

Answer 2

100 middle class American 9-18 month old infant and their mothers in a controlled lab setting where researchers observed the infant’s behaviour.

Question 3

What are the stages of the strange situation experiment?

Answer 3

Observer takes mother and infant into room and then leaves.
Mother allows infant to explore.
Stranger enters room.
Mother leaves and stranger interacts with infant.
Mother returns and comforts baby and stranger leaves.
Mother leaves, baby is alone.
Stranger enters and interacts with baby.
Mother returns and picks up baby, stranger leaves.

Question 4

Describe the behaviour of securely attached infants.

Answer 4

High willingness to explore.
Moderate stranger anxiety.
Some separation anxiety.
Accepts comfort upon reunion.

Question 5

Describe the behaviour of insecure-avoidant infants.

Answer 5

High willingness to explore.
Low separation anxiety.
Indifferent stranger anxiety.
Avoids contact upon reunion.

Question 6

Describe the behaviour of insecure-resistant infants.

Answer 6

Low willingness to explore.
High stranger anxiety.
Distressed when separated.
Seeks and rejects comfort upon reunion.

Question 7

In Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenburg’s meta-analysis of the strange situation, what were significant about the results?

Answer 7

GB - highest rate of securely attached infants.
China - lowest rate of securely attached infants.
Germany - High level of insecure-avoidant infants.
Japan - High level of insecure-resistant infants.

Question 8

What conclusions can be made through Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenburg’s meta-analysis of the strange situation?

Answer 8

Provides evidence that culture affects the type of attachment behaviour an infants shows.