Attachment: topic 6 ‘ainsworth’s strange situation study’

Question 1

What was Ainsworth and Bell’s strange situation?

Answer 1

• aimed to assess individual differences in attachment by using the strange situation
• 106 MC american infants were observed with their mothers in a lab setting to assess their attachment type
• it was a controlled overt non participant observation
• the infants we’re ages 12-18 and we’re observed over a sequence of 8 short episodes where a mother and a stranger took it in turns to enter the room, interact with the child and leave the room to observe 4 key behaviours

Question 2

What we’re Ainsworth and Bell’s 4 key behaviours they assessed in the strange situation?

Answer 2

• the child’s reaction to the caregiver leaving (separation anxiety)
• their reaction when the caregiver returned (reunion behaviour)
• the child’s reaction to the stranger (stranger anxiety)
• the child’s willingness to explore their environment (exploration anxiety)

Question 3

What we’re the findings of Ainsworth and Bell’s strange situation?

Answer 3

• found there were 3 different types of attachment:
• secure which made up of 66% of the sample
• insecure avoidance which made up 22% of the sample
• 12% classified as insecure resistant
• it was concluded that the sensitivity of the caregiver had a significant impact on the attachment type of the infant

Question 4

What we’re the characteristics of a securely attached infant?

Answer 4

• 66%
• willingness to explore: use mum as a base to explore and play
• separation anxiety: distress on separation
• stranger anxiety: some stranger anxiety, lack of interaction and couldn’t be comforted by the stranger
• reunion behaviour: immediate comfort from mum

Question 5

What we’re the characteristics of an insecure avoidant infant?

Answer 5

• 22%
• willingness to explore: willing to explore with / without mum
• separation anxiety: no or few signs of distress when mum leaves
• stranger anxiety: easily comforted by strangers
• reunion behaviour: ignore mum on return

Question 6

What we’re the characteristics of an insecure resistant infant?

Answer 6

• 12%
• willingness to explore: not willing to explore
• separation anxiety: very distressed when mum leaves
• stranger anxiety: extreme, only wants mum
• reunion behaviour: will not be comforted by mum