Measuring types of attachment with Strange situation Flashcards
What is the strange situation?
a controlled observation designed to test attachment through a series of events based in an unfamiliar room. The aim of the SS who was to observe key attachment behaviours, in order to assess the quality of a child’s attachment to a caregiver.
who developed the method of the strange situation and what year?
Ainsworth and Bowlby.1969
secure base behviour?
feeling confident to explore using caregiver as a secure base.
separation anxiety?
protesting at separation from caregiver
reunion behvaiour?
response to caregiver after short separation.
stranger anxiety?
displaying anxiety when a stranger approaches.
proximity seeking?
staying fairly close to the caregiver.
Bick (2012)
found 94% agreement on attachment type in trained strange situation observers. This high level of reliability may be because the procedure takes place in controlled conditions and because behaviours such as proximity involved large movements and are ready to observe.
one disadvantage?
there has been some disagreement about what the strange situation actually measures. this affects the validity of the attachment.
counterpoint to the disadvantge?
temperament is not related to how carer is greeted in episode 5 (first reunions episode) where parent greets and compares infant than leave again.
Takahashi (1990)
In Japan, found mothers would quickly scoop up their children on reunion, so the babies responses so the babies responses weren’t properly seen.
Main and Solomon (1986)
added a fourth type of attachment ‘disorganised’ - children’s who’s behaviour patterns are resistant and avoidant, which Ainsworth had not identified. This undermines the validity of the 3 categories of attachment.
