Types of attachment

Question 1

What is insecure-avoidant attachment(Type C)

Answer 1

-explore freely
-do not need proximity to caregiver or show secure-base behaviour
-little separation anxiety and stranger anxiety
- make little contact when caregiver returns and may ignore them
-20-25% of British babies

Question 2

What is secure attachment(Type B)?

Answer 2

-explore happily bur frequently return to caregiver and seek comfort
- usually show moderate separation and stranger anxiety
-accept and require comfort from caregiver in reunion stage
-60-75% of British babies

Question 3

What is insecure-resistant attachment?

Answer 3

-seek greater proximity to parent so explore less
- high levels of stranger and separation anxiety
-resist comfort in reunion stage and continue to show signs of distress
-around 3% of British babies

Question 4

What are the strengths of Ainsworth strange situation (1970)

Answer 4

-Good predictive value:Type B have better outcomes in childhood and adulthood. Better achievement in school and less involvement of bullying (McCqrmick et al. 2016 and Kokkinos 2007). Ward et al. (2006): securely attached babies state they will have better mental health

-Good reliability: John Bick et al (2012) tested inter-rater reliability for trained team and found agreement on 94% of cases- controlled conditions and easily observable behaviour.

Question 5

What are the weaknesses of Ainsworth strange situation (1970)

Answer 5

Culture bound: Study was developed in US and Britain and may only be applicable to babies behaviours in these Western cultures due to parenting techniques. However in a japansese study by Keiko Takahashi(1986) more babies classified as insecure resistant and displayed high levels of separation anxiety. Takahasi (1990) suggested this was because of experiences in Japan where Mother-child separation is uncommon.