Mary Ainsworth Strsnge Situation Amd Research Into Attachment Flashcards
What are three types of attachment that ainsworth found?
Securely attached: children were contented and pacified by the presence of their mother
Insecurity attachment: children were less inclined to explore and cried frequently, even when mother was present
Not yet attached: children were indifferent to then presence of their mothers
What was ainsworth initia investigation and what type of research methods did she use?
Ainsworth investigated mother-child relationships in six-villages in Uganda. She observed and interviewed mothers and their children’s over many months and for several hours at a time in their natural environment
Ainsworth used naturalistic observation and interviews
What did ainsworth conclude from her early research into attachment
She concluded that mothers who were irresponsible to the infants needs were more likely to have a secure attachment. She called this maternal sensitivity.
Describe the procedure of ainsworth strange situation?
The procedure was developed by Mary ainsworth to study individual differences in attachment types between child and care giver
It involved a structured observation of parent-child interaction in a room with toys and chairs, over series of 8 three minute episodes
The idea is that the infant displays different behaviour towards their primary caregiver and towards the stranger according to the security of attachment
The researcher observes the interaction through a one-way mirror and cateogrises the attachment into secure, anxious avoidant or anxious resistant
What is the aim of ainsworths research into individual differences in attachment type?
To use the strange situation to understand different attachment types formed by children in America
What are the 4 procedures to ainsworths research into individual differences in attachment type?
56 American Middle class infants aged 12-18 months were observed in the strange situation
The room in which the strange situation took place is a laboratory set up with chairs and toys to be comfortable for the pps and one-way mirror for the observation
Pps included parent, infant,and stranger.there are 8 steps in the strange situation, each step lasting for 3 minutes
These steps include how the child responded to the stranger, seperation from the mother and reunion with mother
What is the percentage of infants that had a secure attachment with their mothers?
65%
How did the infant in secure attachment type react on entering room?
They explored the room and played independently using mother as a safe base
In the secure attachment condition what was the infants reaction to separation and when seeking reunion with mother ?
When seperated from mother, infant was upset and distressed when mother left
Seeks comfort and is happy mother returns and is quickly settled and calmed. Exploratory behaviour resumes
What is the percentage in anxious avoidant types
23%
What is the reaction upon entering room in anxious avoidant attachment:
Explores the room and plays independently
What is the reaction to stranger in anxious avoidant?
Plays with stranger regardless of mothers presence and does not check for mothers presence
What was the reaction to seperation from mum in the anxious avoidant
Is not distressed at mothers absence and can seek comfort from mothers presence
What is the reaction to reunion with mother in the anxious avoidant AttAchment
Shows no interest in mothers return
What is the percentage of infants that developed an anxious resistant attachment?
12%
What the reaction on entering room in anxious resistant?
Is fearful and stays close to mother, does not explore the room
Reaction to separation in anxious resistant
Shows fear of stranger and avoids the stranger with or without the mother being present
What is the reaction to separation from mother in anxious resistant
The child is extremely distressed
What is the reaction to reunion with mother in the anxious resistant
Child wants comfort from the mother but may push her away when approached and resists comfort even if it is desired
What are the 4 conclusions of ainsworth research into individual differences in attachment types?
Differences in attachment are related to the behaviour of the care giver
If a mother is unresponsive to the child’s needs the child feels rejected and unworthy and is more likely to develop an anxious avoidant attachment
If a mother is sensitive, consistent and responsive to the child, reacting positively and appropriately, the child is more likely to develop a secure attachment
If a mother is inconsistent in responding to the child’s needs e.g. Responsive one minute and rejecting the next, the child is more likely to develop an anxious resistant attachment
Why is the strange situation high in reliability and objectivity?
This is because it uses standardised procedures involving time episodes and observation schedules
Research has shown that when then the children are retested, attachment type has remained stable as long as the family circumstances have remained the same
How does the meta analysis of 38 cross cultural studies using the strange situation find
That secure attachment was the main type of attachment which demonstrates reliability of the findings.
Anxious resistant and avoidant attachment types were also observed in other countries, again showing consistencyb
How is the strange situation low in ecological validity and how may this affect behaviour?
The procedure takes place in an artificial room which is unfamiliar and unnatural to the child
This may affect their behaviour suggesting that the findings might not generalise to real life situations e.g. At home
What are the ethical issues in the strange situation and how can it be minimised?
It fails to protect the child from harm. A child who has secure or resistant attachment type can become very distressed
However if the child becomes too distressed the procedure is stopped which makes it ethically sound
