EssayS

Question 1

Strange situation essay 12 marks

Answer 1

Aim

Ainsworth aimed to investigate individual differences in types of attachment

Prodecure

Took place in a laboratory playroom

Strange situation method had 8 episodes each lasted for 3 minutes: mother and infant enter room, stranger enters, mother leaves

Used American infants aged 12-18 months

Findings

There are 3 types of attachment

Secure(70%)- have joy on reunion, treats mother and stranger differently. Would have moderate distress in separation and stranger anxiety

Insecure avoidant(20%)- avoids contact on reunion, responds to both mother and stranger similarly. Little distress on separation

Insecure resistant(10%)- seeks and resists contact on reunion, resists strangers and distressed at separation

Conclusion

Believed there are significant individuals differences between infants

Suggests an innate tendency for attachment is affected by life experiences

Evaluation

Strength- predictive validity:

Strength is that it predicts later development. Infants assessed as secure typically go onto to have better outcomes in areas such as success at school to romantic relationships. Insecure resistent attachment is associated with worst outcomes such as bullying. This supports the predictive validity of attachment.

Further strength- good reliability

Strange situation show a good inter-rater reliability. This may be because the strange situation takes place under controlled conditions and behavioural categories are easy to observe. Recent study of bick et al found agreement in attachment type for 94% of tested infants. Means we can be confidents its reliable and not observer dependent.

Limitation- other types of attachment:

However main and Solomon found that Ainsworth overlooked a fourth type of attachment. They analysed 200 strange situations videotapes and proposed insecure disorganised attachment. Such infants lack a coherent strategy for dealing with stress of separation. Van et al further supported this with meta analysis. Found 15% were classified as insecure disorganised. Therefore the existence of this challenges Ainsworth notion of attachment type

Question 2

Explanations of attachment

Answer 2

Adaptive and innate

Bowlby proposed on evolutionary explanation of attachment as he believed that attachment is an innate and adaptive process for both infant and parent

Monotrophy

Bowlby saw the first 2 and a half years of life as critical period for psychological development. If a child deprived of emotional care because of frequent or prolong separation then psychological damage is inevitable and believed theres continuing risk upto age of 5

Internal working model

Bowlby suggested that a child having first relationship with primary caregiver forms a mental representation. This working model acts as a template for future relationships. This model resembles a schema and provides the basis for forming expectations.

Critical period and social releaser

Critical period is a maturational stage in lifespan whereby social releaser is being born with innate behaviours

Evaluation

Are multiple attachment as important as monotrophy:

Research into this has suggested that all attachment figures are equally important. Questioning whether theres the need for special relationship with one central person. Thomas suggests the tendency to form a single main attachment is not good for healthy psychological development and may be best to have variety. He found in Caribbean and European cultures children developed many equally important attachments. Suggests theres mixed evidence.

Support for internal working model:

There have been numerous studies that provides support for the internal working model. Hazan and shores found that adult romantic love can be related back to an individuals attachment history. Secure attachment had care experiences whereas insecure types found relationships less easy. Supports view that attachment type does predict future childhood and adulthood relationship

Evidence that attachment is adaptive and innate:

Number of studies into imprinting demonstrates that attachment is adaptive and innate. Newborn animals such as goslings appear to form a picture of their parents within hours of birth. Lorenz believe that imprinting has evolutionary value for animals since young animals that follow its mother is likely to have chances of survival. However care must be taken when extrapolating from gosling to humans.