attachment: types of attachment and strange situation Flashcards
what is strange situation?
used structural observational research to assess and measure the quality of attachment of 100 middle class americans.
what is the criteria children were assessed on for strange situation?
separation anxiety,
stranger anxiety,
reunion behaviour,
willingness to explore the room
what are stages one and two of strange situation?
1: mother and child enter playroom
2: exploring
what are stages three and four for strange situation?
3: stranger enters and attempts to interact
4: mum leaves
what are stages five and six for strange situation?
5: mother enters and stranger leaves
6: mother leaves
what are stages seven and eight for strange situation?
7: stranger returns
8: mother returns
what are the % findings?
65% secure
12% resistant insecure
22% avoidant insecure
what are the findings for secure?
separation: distressed
stranger: avoidant
reunion: happy
other: uses mum as safe base when exploring
what are the findings for resistant?
separation: intense distress
stranger: avoids and fear
reunion: resists contact with mum
other: cries more than exlpores
what are the findings for avoidant?
separation: no distress
stranger: plays
reunion: little interest
other: mum and stranger can comfort
what are the conclusions of ainsworth’s study?
highlights the role of the mothers behaviour in determining quality of attachment- led to conceptualisation of caregiver sensitivity hypothesis.
what is caregiver sensitivity hypothesis?
a mothers behaviour towards their infant predicts their attachment.
IA: no one comes so create own model to deal with stress,
IR: inconsistent parenting so shouts louder.
how is the study replicable?
research is highly operationalised, observers have clear view of how a secure attached child should behave- due to criteria.
research has high intel-observer reliability, ainsworth found reliability of 0.94.
how is the study reliable?
waters assessed 50 infants at 12 and 18 mths using ss, he found evidence for stable individual differences using ainsworth’s behaviour data, the greatest consistency was seen in reunion behaviours after brief separation. 48 of 50 infants were independently rated as being classified in same category at 18 mths.
why is the procedure culturally biased?
the ss was designed in america so criteria used to classify infants are based on us values, relating to child parent behaviour, it could be argued that this is eurocentric so observations of non americans will be judged accoridng to american standards- where secure is desired.
