Developmental Psychology: Types of Attachment

Question 1

Name the three types of attachment

Answer 1

> Type A - Insecure Avoidant > Type B - Secure Attachment > Type C - Ambivalent/Resistant

Question 2

Describe a child who is Type A -Insecure Avoidant

Answer 2

Insecure Avoidant children do not seek contact with the attachment figure when distressed. Such children are likely to have a caregiver who is insensitive and rejecting their needs. The attachment figure may withdraw from helping during difficult tasks and is often unavailable during times of emotional distress.

Question 3

Describe a child who is Type B - Secure Attachment

Answer 3

A Secure child will feel confident that the attachment figure will be available to meet their needs. They use the attachment figure as a safe base to explore the environment and seek the attachment figure in times of distress. Securely attached children are easily soothed by the attachment figure when upset. Infants develop a secure attachment when the caregiver is sensitive to their signals, and responds appropriately.

Question 4

Describe a child who is Type C - Insecure Ambivalent/Resistant

Answer 4

The child will commonly exhibit clingy and dependent behaviour, but will be rejecting the attachment figure when they interact. The child fails to develop any feeling of security from the attachment figure. Accordingly they exhibit difficulty moving away from the attachment figure to explore their surroundings. When distressed they are difficult to soothe and are not comforted by interaction with the attachment figure. This behaviour results from an inconsistent level of response to their needs from the primary caregiver.

Question 5

Name the Famous study which tests the nature of attachment, and could identify the attachment types of infants

Answer 5

Mary Ainsworth (1969)

Question 6

Outline the procedure

Answer 6

They created what is called the Strange Situation. They used a small room and got parents with their infants to interact in this room, and also used a stranger in the process. The ppts would follow a script for 3 minutes. There are 8 stages, each of which shows the experimenter the attachment type of the infant that is being observed, based on the display of the relationship between carer and child.

Question 7

What did they find?

Answer 7

In 1978 Ainsworth found the different types of attachment (Type A, B, and C)

Question 8

Evaluate the Ethics of the study

Answer 8

The intention of the SS is to cause mild distress. This is questionable as it is used on infants. Ainsworth however claimed that the situation as a whole was intended not to be any more disturbing than ordinary life experience. However in the 6th step (parent leaves infant alone) 20% of the infants reportedly cried ‘desperately’.

Question 9

Evaluate the Validity of Ainsworth’s study

Answer 9

Ainsworths study has a high ecological validity, because the setting makes it quite realistic, and can be related to by everyday events.