Mary Ainsworth - The Strange Situation Flashcards
What is the strange situation?
It is a structured observation of a parent-child interaction through a one way mirror, following a sequence of 3 minute episodes
How many episodes does the procedure involve?
8 episodes which involve the mother being present or absent and the introduction of a stranger
Who did Ainsworth use the SS on?
Children between 12-18 months in Baltimore
What did the SS focus on?
How the child responded to the stranger, the seperation from the mother and the reunion with the mother.
What was the first stage?
The mother and child are escorted into a small lab playroom that contains toys for the child to play with
What happens after the first stage?
The child explores the room and plays with the toys whilst the mother is present
For the third stage…
a stranger enters the room, greets the mother and talks to her and tries to interact with the child through play
When does the mother leave the room, leaving the child and stranger alone?
Stage 4
How is the period of time of the mother’s absence determined?
It depends on the child’s distress
What is the fifth stage?
After a short period of time, the mother returns to join the child and stranger. She consoles the child and the stranger leaves the room.
When does the mother leave the child totally alone?
Stage 6
The stranger enters the room again in stage 7 and ….
tries to interact with and console the child in the mothers’ absence
What happens in the final stage?
The mother returns to console the child and the stranger leaves.
How do Type Bs react to strangers?
They are indifferent to the stranger when the mother is present but ignores the stranger when alone due to fear
How do Type As react to strangers?
They play with the stranger regardless of the mother’s presence and do not check for the mother’s presence.
How do Type Cs react to strangers?
They show fear of the stranger and avoid the stranger with or without the mother being present
How do Type As explore?
They explore independently and do not check for the mother’s presnence or use her as a safe base
How do Type Bs react to seperation from the mother?
They become upset and distressed when the mother leaves
How do Type As react to seperation from the mother?
They aren’t distressed at the mother’s absence and can seek comfort from a stranger
How do Type Cs react to seperation from the mother?
They have intense reaction and the child is clearly distressed
How do Type Cs explore?
They clung to the mother and hardly explored at all, they cry more than the other types
How to Type Bs react in the reunion?
They are happy both times and easily calms, exploring resumes and they quickly settle.
How to Type As react in the reunion?
They show no interest in the mother’s return
How to Type Cs react in the reunion?
The child wants the comfort of the mother but may push her away when approached. Resists comfort even if it is desired
How to type Bs explore?
Able to explore from the safe base of the mother, stops if the mother leaves the room. After reunion they can explore again.
What are Type A mothers like?
Insensitive, intefering and ignore the behavioural cues of their children
What are Type B mothers like?
Sensitive, responsive
What are Type C mothers like?
Inconsistant, warm and responsive on occasions and rejecting on other occasions
A problem with this study is that it is a laboratory procedure using an unnatural environment meaning
it could be the environment causing the reactions of the infant to the mother rather than being left alone with the stranger, lacks ecological validity
How does having a standardised procedure involving timed episodes and rigorous analysis of the observed behaviour act as a strength?
It makes it replicable and objective
How does the fact that Ainsworth worked in the field of attachment and the effects of seperation for many years benefit her?
She was able to draw on a wealth of data for her concluisons and carried out may studies finding similar results
How did she improve her validity?
She used naturalistic home visits as well as interviews
Why does it not take into account individual differences?
It could be measuring the temperament of the child rather than the attachment type itself, a child may be particularly anxious regardless of the mother’s presence
Why has it been criticised for its use of children accustomed to being seperated from their primaary caregiver on a regular basis e.g children who attend daycare?
Children in daycare will suffer different amounts of stress at being left with a stranger compared with non day care children
What were the controls?
Carried out in a lab, observed by many poeple, inter rater reliability
