attachment - strange situation

Question 1

AO1 - intro

Answer 1

• Ainsworth and bell
• controlled observation
• using strange situation
• 100 middle class infants and their mothers
• measured 4 variables

1) willingness to explore environment
- how confident child is to explore/investigate environment

2) stranger anxiety
- how child reacts when approached by stranger alone

3) separation anxiety
- how child acts when mother leaves

4) reunion behaviour
- how child acts when reunited with mother

Question 2

AO1 - procedure

Answer 2

• 7 episodes each lasted 3 minutes

1) parent and infant enter room. 3 minutes to explore (willingness to explore environment)

2) stranger enters and tries to interact with child (stranger anxiety)

3) mother leaves (stranger and separation anxiety)

4) mother returns to settle infant and stranger leaves (reunion behaviour)

5) mother leaves (separation anxiety)

6) stranger returns (stranger anxiety)

7) stranger leaves mother returns (Reunion behaviour)

Question 3

AO1 - findings

Answer 3

secure attachment = 70%
insecure-avoidant = 20%
insecure-resistant = 10%

Question 4

Secure attachment - AO1

Answer 4

• willing to explore environment when mother present (mother = secure base)
• upset/subdued when mother leaves
• moderate levels of separation anxiety
• avoidant of stranger but friendly when mother present (stranger anxiety)
• positive/happy when mother returns (reunion behaviour)
• associated with responsive caregiver

Question 5

Insecure-avoidant - AO1

Answer 5

• willing to explore environment
• unconcerned when mother leaves (separation anxiety)
• unconcerned/avoidant of mother and stranger (stranger anxiety)
• unresponsive when mother returns (reunion behaviour)
• associated with unresponsive caregiver

Question 6

Insecure-resistant - AO1

Answer 6

• low willingness to explore environment
• intensely distressed when mother leaves (separation anxiety)
• extreme fear of stranger (stranger anxiety)
• clinginess mixed with rejection when mother returns (reunion behaviour)
• associated with inconsistent caregiver

Question 7

Criticism - AO3
lacks ecological validity

Answer 7

P - criticism
- lacks eco val
- highly controlled environment (room with two-way mirror)

E - difficult to generalise to real life attachment types
- infant may not behave in the same way

E - e.g. less willing to explore/more stranger anxiety
- due to unfamiliar environment

L - weakens external validity

Question 8

Strength - AO3
high reliability

Answer 8

P - high reliability
- highly controlled environment

E - standardised procedure e.g. assessed for 3 min intervals

E - easy to repeat
- to check for consistent results

L - successfully carried out in other cultures

Question 9

Research to support - AO3
Van ijzendoorn and kroonenborg

Answer 9

P - RTS
- van ijzendoorn and kroonenborg

E - replicated strange situation in USA

E - found secure attachment = 65%
- insecure avoidant = 21%
- insecure resistant = 14%

L - supports strange situation as a way of assessing attachment types