Types of Attachment

Question 1

Who investigated Types of Attachment and which procedure did they use?

Answer 1

Ainsworth 1970 using the strange situation.

Question 2

Aim

Answer 2

Aim = to investigate types of attachment and how they might vary between children. It is a controlled observation designed the measure the security of attachment. Takes place in a room with controlled conditions with a two way mirror and/or cameras that the psychologists can observe the children from. The behaviours judged include, proximity seeking, exploration and secure base, stranger anxiety, separation anxiety, and response to reunion.

Question 3

Procedure

Answer 3

7 episodes which last three minutes. 1st episode is the caregiver and baby entering a unfamiliar playroom and being encouraged to explore which tests exploration and secure base. The next is when a stranger comes in and talks to caregiver and approaches baby which tests for stranger anxiety. The next is the caregiver leaving the room which tests for separation and stranger anxiety. The next is the caregiver returning and the stranger leaves which tests for reunion behaviour and exploration and secure base. The next is the caregiver leaving baby alone which tests separation anxiety. The next is the stranger returning which tests stranger anxiety. The last is the caregiver returning which tests reunion behaviour.

Question 4

Findings

Answer 4

Identified three main types of attachment from the distinct patterns the babies showed:
Insecure avoidant attachment type (A). Explore freely and don’t seek proximity or show secure base behaviour. Little or no reaction when caregiver leaves and little stranger anxiety. Make little effort to contact when caregiver returns and even avoid this. 20-25% of British babies have this.
Secure attachment type (B). Explore happily but regularly go back. Show moderate separation anxiety and stranger anxiety. Require and accept comfort when reunited. 60-75%.
Insecure resistant attachment type (C). Seek greater proximity and explore less. Show high levels of stranger and separation anxiety but discomfort when reunited. 3%.

Question 5

Strength (P)

Answer 5

Predicts number of aspects of baby’s later development.
Lots of research shows that Type B attachment tend to have better outcomes than others e.g. achieve higher, not involved in bullying, and better mental health.
Allows for these predictions so has practical application in trying to encourage this or providing support young to stop this.
However… some argue doesn’t test attachment but innate anxiety levels which accounts for variations.

Question 6

Strength (R)

Answer 6

Good inter-observer reliability.
Bick et al found 94% agreement in attachment type.
Consensus giving it reliability and some validity as could mean they were tested accurately.
However… Kagan suggests temperament may have produced the anxiety and not attachment so this is a confounding variable.

Question 7

Weakness

Answer 7

Lacks validity.
May not be accurate to measure it for one day.
Behaviour changes eat day depending on food, sleep, etc, so being grouchy may have mistaken for insecure resistant.
Furthermore… Main and Soloman found a minority didn’t display either of attachment types so created a new category of disorganised which is a mix of avoidant and resistant.