strange situation

Question 1

what is the strange situation

Answer 1

a controlled observation of 12-18 month old infants, developed to investigate the degrees of separation, stranger anxiety, and reunion behaviour

Question 2

Ainsworth procedure

Answer 2

100 middle class white American children and their mothers
- standardised procedure of 7 episodes, 3 minutes each way through a 1 way mirror

Question 3

episode 1 what happens + what it tests

Answer 3

• caregiver takes infant into laboratory room and they are left to explore
• expiration and secure base

Question 4

episode 2 what happens + what it tests

Answer 4

stranger enters and approcches infant

stranger anxiety

Question 5

episode 3 what happens + what it tests

Answer 5

caregiver leaves obtrusively and stranger interacts with the infant

stranger anxiety
separation anxiety

Question 6

episode 4 what happens + what it tests

Answer 6

caregiver returns and stranger leaves

reunion behaviour
exploration and secure base

Question 7

episode 5 what happens + what it tests

Answer 7

caregiver leaves so infant is alone

seperation anxiety

Question 8

episode 6 what happens + what it tests

Answer 8

the stranger enters and interacts with the infant

stranger anxiety

Question 9

episode 7 what happens + what it tests

Answer 9

caregiver returns and greets the infant

reunion behaviour

Question 10

what are the 3 types of attachment

Answer 10

insecure avoidant
secure attachment
insecure resistant

Question 11

insecure avoidant

Answer 11

high exploration
low proximity seeking
low secure base behaviour

-show little/ no reaction the caregiver leaves

-makes little effort to make contact when the caregiver returns,
-show little stranger anxiety

dont require comfort at reunion stage
20-25%

Question 12

secure attachment

Answer 12

• explore happily, regularly go back to caregiver (moderate proximity seeking and secure base behaviour)
• moderate seperation distress and moderate stranger anxiety
• accept comfort on reunion and are easily calmed

60-75%

Question 13

insecure resistant

Answer 13

seek greater proximity, than others so they explore less

show huge stranger and separation distress, resist comfort when reunited with their carer

3% of british toddler

Question 14

describe how Ainsworth studied types of attachment

6 marker
procedure and episodes

Answer 14

• investigated using strange situation observation
• conducted on 100 middle class white American babies and their mothers
• controlled observation
• 7 episodes to test stranger and separation anxiety, secure base behaviour, proximity seeking and reunion behaviour
• stage one was baby exploring room, testing proximity and secure base behaviour
• then stranger came and tried to interact with baby, testing stranger anxiety
• then caregiver left baby alone with stranger, testing stranger and separation anxiety
• when mother came back, tested to see if baby was happy, resisted comfort, or avoided reunion

Question 15

limiations of ss

Answer 15

cultural bias

• used sample of 100 American babes, might not have same meaning in countries outside the western world e.g outside west Europe and usa
• cultural differences in childhood means that children may respond differently to ss
• e.g may not work in Japan, Japanese mothers are rarely separated from their baby so naturally the babies gonna show rlly high levels of seperation anxiety

Question 16

strength of ss

Answer 16

support for validity

• attachment type strongly predicts future development
• secure infants have better outcomes = success at school, stronger friendships and romantic relationships
• insecure resistant is associated with the worst outcomes = bullying in childhood, mental health problems in adulthood