The strange situation

Question 1

Who studied the strange situation ?

Answer 1

• Mary Ainsworth
• Who was a student of Bowlby’s

Question 2

What were some of the things that the stranger situation observed ?

Answer 2

• proximity seeker
• exploration
• stranger anxiety
• seperation anxiety
• reunion behaviour

Question 3

What type of observation was the stranger situation ?

Answer 3

Laboratory observation

Question 4

How many stages were there in the stranger situation and how long were they ?

Answer 4

• 7 stages
• 3 minutes each

Question 5

What was the procedure of the Stranger situation ?

Answer 5

1. Mum and baby go to a room and the baby can explore
2. Stranger enters and quickly talk to mum
3. Stranger leans to talk and play to the infant
4. Mother leaves the room, stranger tries to comfort the baby
5. Mother returns, stranger leaves
6. Mother leaves the room and the infant is alone
7. stranger returns and tries to comfort the baby
8. Mother renters and stranger leave

Question 6

What were the findings of the stranger situation ?

Answer 6

There were 3 types of attachment found:
Type B: secure attachment where the baby trusts the mother
Type A: Insecure avoidant where the baby doesn’t care
Type C: Insecure resistant where the baby doesn’t trust the mother

Question 7

What were the conclusion of the stranger situation study ?

Answer 7

• the majority of infants in the UK are securely attached
  -a baby’s attachment is effected by the quality and sensitivity of the caregiver

Question 8

What are the strengths of the strange situation ?

Answer 8

Reliable - the procedure is standardized and can be easily replicated due to the high levels of control. This can be seen as it has been used all over the world

Validity - the type of attachment that the strange situation identifies is predictive meaning that ti can predict a child’s later development in school, friendships and relationships

Question 9

What are the limitations of the strange situation ?

Answer 9

Main and Solomon : They say that there is a 4th behaviour category for babies that don’t belong to either of the 3 groups. It is for babies who are mix between insecure resistant and insecure avoidant

Culture bound: the strange situation was created to measure Western styles of parenting. This limits the extent that it can measure other cultures attachment as there type of parenting may be differnet