Attachment : Strange Situation Flashcards
What is a Strength of the Strange situation?
Nick looked at inter rather reliability in a team of trained Strange Situation observers and found there was agreement about the attachment type on 94% of tested babies. This finding demonstrates that the Strange Situation is reliable as there was a high level of consistency
between the observers, meaning they were able to watch the same child and reach the same conclusions about what behaviours were occurring and, consequently, what attachment type the child had. This matters as reliability is an essential condition for validity. This means that the strong reliability of the Strange Situation increases the chance that it provides a valid tool for measuring individual differences in attachment, meaning we can have confidence in Ainsworth’s conclusions about the different attachment types. However, just because research is valid, this does not mean it is definitely valid. This is because other factors besides reliability determine if research is valid (e.g., its ecological validity, population validity and internal validity). Therefore, just because the Strange Situation is a reliable measure of individual differences in attachment doesn’t necessarily mean it’s also valid. Therefore, this finding demonstrates that the Strange Situation is a reliable method for understanding individual differences in attachment.
Why has Ainsworth’s claim that there are three attachment types has been challenged?
Main (1985) - a student of Ainsworth - identified a fourth attachment type called the disorganised attachment (Type D), involving a confusing mixture of restraint and avoidant behaviours.This challenges Ainsworth’s conclusions from the Strange Situation as her research only identified three attachment types, meaning her explanation of individual differences in attachment were limited. However, this isn’t to suggest her ideas were wrong. The addition of a fourth attachment type builds on Ainsworth’s ideas, rather than undermining the. Furthermore, Ainsworth never argued the three types were the only possible types, and she was open to extending them. Moreover, it is worth recognising that the identification of the disorganised attachment type only came about through research involving the Strange Situation, which suggests it is a useful research tool for understanding individual differences in attachment. Nevertheless, modern attachment researchers have now largely discarded the idea that there are discrete attachment types. Current understanding is there are two key attachment dimensions – avoidance and anxiety – along which all people vary. This new understanding suggests Ainsworth’s idea of attachment types was limited as not everyone fitted neatly into the different types. However, it’s still worth recognizing that this new understanding was only possible because of Ainsworth’s Strange Situation research that established individual differences in attachment do exist.
What is a weakness of Strange Situation?
Researchers have argued that the Strange Situation may be culturally biased. For example, Takeshi has noted that since Japanese mother are rarely separated from their babies, Japanese infants inevitably experience very high levels of separation anxiety during the Strange situation. This suggests the Strange Situation is culturally biased as within a Japanese cultural context, such anxiety is normal. However, because the Strange Situation was developed within a Western cultural context, excessive separation anxiety is viewed as an indication of an insecurity and therefore indicative of an insecure-resistant attachment type. This means in interpreting behaviour from one cultural perspective (a Western perspective), the Strange Situation is guilty of cultural bias, as it analyses attachment in other cultures using standards developed in a specific cultural context. Furthermore, it suggests that Ainsworth’s claim that she had established a universal description of three attachment types (meaning the attachment types apply everywhere, regardless of culture) may be wrong, as the attachment types were developed using a culturally biased research method. However, this issue doesn’t necessarily invalidate the Strange Situation, but it does suggest that classifying children into an attachment type using the Strange Situation would be best accomplished if researchers took account of cultural differences in child rearing.
What is the Strange Situation?
A procedure devised by Mary Ainsworth to investigate individual differences in attachment behaviours in young children.
Describe the Procedure of The Strange Situation.
Stage 1— mother and child enter the playroom.
Stage 2 — the child is encouraged to explore.
Stage 3 — stranger enters and attempts to interact.
Stage 4 — mother’s leaves while the stranger is present.
Stage 5 — mother enters and the stranger leaves.
Stage 6 — mother leaves.
Stage 7 — stranger returns.
Stage 8 — mother returns and interacts with child.
What are the four aspects of the child’s behaviour shown in the stages?
- The way the child explores the room
- The Childs reaction to the departure of its caregiver
- The Childs reaction when it is with a stranger
- The Childs response to the reunion with its caregiver
What were the findings of this study?
Ainsworth observation in the Strange Situation led her to assert children could be classified as having one of three attachment types, each reflecting a different kind of attachment relationship with the caregiver.
Explain the Attachment Type B.
- Secure
- They would explore the room freely but also return regularly to the caregiver, using the caregiver as a ‘secure base’ from which to explore.
- Separation anxiety when the caregiver leaves the room.
• Moderate level of stranger anxiety (Avoidant of stranger when alone, but friendly when the
caregiver is present)
• Happy when reunited with caregiver/can be comforted. - Ainsworth argued children develop a secure attachment type when the caregiver reliably and
effectively responds to their needs.
Explain the Attachment Type A.
Insecure - avoidant
- Little exploration but they’re also not focused on the caregiver.
- Little to no separation anxiety
- No stranger anxiety
- No significant response to reunion
Ainsworth’s narrative records showed that infants avoided the caregiver in the stressful Strange Situation Procedure when they had a history of experiencing rebuff of attachment behaviour. The child’s needs are frequently not met and the child comes to believe that communication of needs has no influence on the caregiver
Explain the Attachment Type C.
A child with this attachment type would show the following behaviour:
• Stays very close to caregiver I.e., clingy.
• Significant separation anxiety
• Significant stranger anxiety
• Anger towards caregiver during reunion.
A/A* - Ainsworth argued that children develop an insecure-resistant attachment type if their caregiver’s
response to their needs is unpredictable. The child’s behaviour can therefore be regarded as an attempt to take control of an unpredictable interaction
What are the Ratio of attachment types?
- 70% Secure
- 15% Avoidant insecure
- 15% Resistant insecure
