Strange situation - AO3

Question 1

What is a PECS paragraph of strange situation (strength)?

Answer 1

• P: Strength = predictive value
• E: McCormick et al (2010): children with type B (secure) attachment have better outcomes (e.g attainment in school)
• C: However, differences in types may actually be due to temperament (Kagan 1982) - correlation vs causation
• S: So strange situation measures something distinct/meaningful for development but may not attachment

Question 2

What is a strength of strange situation?

Answer 2

• P: Strength = good reliabilty
• E: Bick et al. (2012): +94 inter-rater reliability in recreation of strange situation
• E: Likely due to highly controlled conditions and easily observable behaviours (e.g crying. crawling away)
• L: So the strange situation is a reliable objective measure of attachment type

Question 3

What are two limitations of the strange situation?

Answer 3

• P: Cultural bias (lacks external validity)
• E: Developed in Britain and USA so may only be valid in Western cultures
• E: Takahashi (1990): Studied 60 Japanese mothers and baboes and found none with insecure - resistant avoidant attachment
• L: So the strange situation may be an invalid measure of attachment type in other cultures
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• P: Limitation = other attachment types
• E: Main and Solomon (1986): Analysed over 200 types and proposed fourth attachment type: Disorganised (type D)
• E: Characterised by inconsistent patterns of social behaviour (mix of distress and avoidance - Type A and C); Usually linked to neglect or abuse
• L: So orginal conclusions too simplistic, may be due to faults in the strange situation procedure