The strange situation

Question 1

procedure

Answer 1

The Strange Situation is a controlled observation, designed to measure the security of attachment a child displays towards a caregiver. It uses an 8-part standardised procedure, so that each mother and child had the same experience, and it was designed to gradually increase the level of stress the infant experiences. It takes place in a room with a two-way mirror, through which multiple psychologists can observe the infant’s behaviour, and all interactions were video recorded. The room was made to look like a playroom and so had toys and books for the child to play with. Ainsworth used 100 middle class American infants and their mothers as her sample.

Question 2

4 behavioural categories

Answer 2

¬ Proximity seeking and safe base: an infant with a good attachment will stay close to caregiver, but will feel confident to explore

¬ Stranger Anxiety: if a child is attached, they will display anxiety when a stranger approaches

¬ Separation anxiety: if a child is attached, they will protest at separation from the caregiver

¬ Response to Reunion: How would the baby respond to the caregiver after being separated?

Question 3

Insecure

Avoidant

Answer 3

Infant is detached on separation, avoids caregiver on reunion and engages in displacement exploration that is devoid of true interest.
Caregiver is insensitive to infant’s signals and deflects proximity seeking.

Question 4

Secure

Answer 4

Infant engages in positive exploration, is upset by separation but gives a positive response to caregiver on her return with a rapid return to exploration.
Caregiver is consistently sensitive and responsive to infant’s signals.

Question 5

Insecure Resistant

Answer 5

Infant is preoccupied with caregiver availability. Shows distress on separation and anger/ambivalence on reunion and is difficult to comfort.
Caregiver is inconsistent in response to infant. May vary between insensitive and intrusive.