Types of attachment

Question 1

What is ‘The Strange Situation’?

Answer 1

A structured observation using a standardised procedure, observing a mother and baby via a one-way mirror to study attachment

Question 2

What are the 8 stages of ‘The Strange Situation’?

Answer 2

1. Mother and baby play
2. Baby is left to explore
3. Stranger adult enters room
4. First separation: mother leaves room
5. First reunion: mother re-enters and stranger leaves
6. Second separation: mother leaves the room
7. Stranger returns
8. Second reunion: mother re-enters and stranger leaves

Question 3

Ainsworth & Bell (1969)

Answer 3

100 middle-class American mothers and their babies, used the strange situation procedure. Findings led Ainsworth & Bell to classify babies into 3 attachment types. They explained the different attachment types by examining the responsiveness of the mother to the child’s needs.

Question 4

Secure Attachment
(Mothering Style)

Answer 4

Also known as a Type B Attachment.
Mother was sensitive, consistent and responsive to child.

Question 5

Insecure-Avoidant Attachment
(Mothering Style)

Answer 5

Also known as Type A Attachment.
If the child was rejected by the mother, they believed the child would feel unworthy and develop an insecure attachment.

Question 6

Insecure-Resistant Attachment
(Mothering Style)

Answer 6

Also known as Type C Attachment.
If the mother was inconsistent in her responsiveness the child would develop an insecure attachment.

Question 7

Ainsworth et al. (1978) Findings

Answer 7

70% Type B (Secure Attachment)
15% Type A (Anxious Avoidant Attachment)
15% Type C (Anxious Resistant Attachment)

Question 8

Main & Solomon (1986) A03

Answer 8

Found a fourth attachment type was needed.
Disorganised & Disorientated Attachment.

Question 9

Sagi et al (1985)

Answer 9

Israeli Study
50% Type C Attachments.
Explained by the collective community, children and looked after by temporary caregivers. For a large proportion of the day infants do not see their mothers.

Question 10

Grossman et al (1985)

Answer 10

German Study
49% Type A Attachments.
Parents value independence more, not that parents were insensitive to their babies needs.

Question 11

STRENGTHS A03

Answer 11

• Findings have shown to be generalisable, as studies have been done in multiple countries.
• Reliability can be tested for as uses a standardised procedure and the task can be replicated.
• Results are not ethnocentric (confined to one culture)
• A naturalistic observation strengthens her findings as they are similar.
• Good predictive validity- attachment type predicts later social behaviour e.g. school success, bullying (McCormick et al.)

Question 11

WEAKNESSES A03

Answer 11

• Lack of ecological validity in the strange situation procedure.
• Could be a cultural bias as the categories were based on Western ideas.
• Judgement of the child’s behaviour is subjective.
• A fourth attachment type needed to be added as Ainsworth did not capture all behaviour in her original 3 types.
• Ethical issues with regards to the strange situation procedure and putting the child in a stressful situation.
• Other variables not considered, such as the gender of the child, whether the child is used to be separated.