Strange Situation Flashcards
Who conducted research into the ‘Strange Situation’?
Ainsworth (and Bell).
What year did Ainsworth conduct the study?
1970.
What did Ainsworth aim to study?
Individual differences by using the ‘Strange Situation’.
How many infants participated?
106 American middle-class infants.
What type of setting was the infants observed in?
A laboratory setting.
What was the age of the infants that participated?
12 to 18 months old.
How many episodes were the infants observed over?
8 short episodes.
What did the episodes consist of?
Events such as the mother and stranger taking turns to enter the room, interacting with the child and leaving the room.
What four key behaviours were observed?
- Separation anxiety.
- Stranger anxiety.
- Reunion behaviour.
- Willingness to explore.
What is separation anxiety?
The amount of distress shown when the caregiver leaves.
What is stranger anxiety?
The amount of distress shown in response to a stranger.
What is reunion behaviour?
The behaviour expressed when the caregiver returns.
What does willingness to explore refer to?
Whether the infant feels like they have a ‘secure base’ to explore the environment.
How many attachment types did Ainsworth find?
Three.
What were the three main attachment types?
- Securely attached.
- Insecure-avoidant.
- Insecure-resistant.
What percentage of infants were securely attached?
66%.
In reference to the four key behaviours, what behaviours do securely attached infants express?
- Shows moderate distress when the caregiver leaves.
- The infant is wary of the stranger and clearly prefers the caregiver.
- The infant is easily comforted and soothed when the caregiver returns.
- The infant explores the strange environment while using the caregiver as a secure base.
What percentage of infants were insecure-avoidant?
22%.
In reference to the four key behaviours, what behaviours do insecure-avoidant infants express?
- Unbothered by the mother leaving (make no effort to interact when with her).
- Show no anxiety when left with the stranger.
- When the mother returns, the infant is unbothered and makes no effort to get close with her.
- The infant is willing to explore and do not orientate towards the mother (use her as a secure base).
What percentage of infants were insecure-resistant?
12%.
In reference to the four key behaviours, what behaviours do insecure-resistant infants express?
- Very distressed when the mother leaves.
- The infant resists the stranger’s attempts to interact or provide comfort.
- The infant is difficult to console when the caregiver returns; may rush to her but express anger and struggle to be put down.
- Limited exploration of the environment.
For securely attached children, what was the caregiver’s behaviour towards the infant considered to be?
Sensitive (responding to their needs).
For insecure-avoidant children, what was the caregiver’s behaviour towards the infant considered to be?
Socially distant.
For insecure-resistant children, what was the caregiver’s behaviour towards the infant considered to be?
Inconsistent (sometimes rejecting and sometimes over-sensitive).
What did Ainsworth conclude?
That the sensitivity of the caregiver had a significant impact on the attachment type of the infant.
What are the 6 evaluation points for Ainsworth’s strange situation’?
- Lack of ecological validity. \+ Can be replicated cross-culturally. - Ethical issues. - The classification doesn't fit all infants (attachment type D). \+ Practical applications. - Demand characteristics.
