Types of Attatchment

Question 1

Who researched into types of attachment?

Answer 1

Ainsworth (1970)

Question 2

What are the three types of attachment?

Answer 2

Secure Attachment
Insecure Avoidant
Insecure Resistant

Question 3

What terms do we use when measuring attachment behaviour?

Answer 3

Seeking proximity
Distress on separation
Joy on reunion
Orientation of behaviour
Separation anxiety
Stranger anxiety

Question 4

What is meant by a secure attachment?

Answer 4

There is a strong bond between the child and its caregiver
Babies show willingness to explore, are weary of strangers and friendly when mother is present. They are easily comforted by the caregiver

Question 5

Attachment behaviours - secure attachment

Answer 5

Willingness to explore - Infant is willing to show a willingness to explore
Stranger anxiety - high stranger anxiety when caregiver is absent
Separation anxiety - Clear signs of separation anxiety
Reunion behaviour - Immense joy on reunion

Question 6

What is an insecure avoidant attachment?

Answer 6

If separated from the caregiver, the infant doesn’t become particularly distressed and can be comforted by a stranger. Avoid social interaction and intimacy with others, and do not tend to orientate towards their mothers, nor are they concerned by her absence or return

Question 7

Attachment behaviours - Insecure avoidant

Answer 7

Willingness to explore - Will willingly explore
Stranger anxiety - Little stranger anxiety
Separation anxiety - Little separation anxiety
Reunion behaviour - Avoid contact on reunion

Question 8

What is an insecure resistant attachment?

Answer 8

Uneasy around the caregiver but become upset when separated. Comfort cannot be given by strangers and is resisted by the caregiver. Accept and reject social intimacy

Question 9

Attachment behaviours - Insecure Resistant

Answer 9

Willingness to explore - Unwilling to explore
Stranger anxiety - Have high stranger anxiety
Separation anxiety - High separation anxiety
Reunion behaviour - Seek and reject caregiver

Question 10

What was the name of Ainsworth’s investigation (1970)?

Answer 10

The strange situation

Question 11

What was the aim of The Strange Situation?

Answer 11

To establish a method of measuring attachment to test how different children respond to separation and stranger anxiety

Question 12

How many participants were in The Strange Situation?

Answer 12

100 Middle class American infants and their mothers took part

Question 13

Where was The Strange Situation set?

Answer 13

In a Laboratory set as a play room with a two way mirror to observe the infants behaviour

Question 14

How long did each section of the observation take?

Answer 14

Each section of the observation took 3 minutes to complete

Question 15

What were the 7 stages of The Strange Situation?

Answer 15

1. Mother and child enter room
2. Stranger enters and talks to mother, gradually approaches infant
3. Mother leaves stranger interacting with the child
4. Mother returns to greet and comfort child, stranger leaves
5. Parent leaves child alone
6. Stranger returns and tries to interact
7. Mother returns, Stranger leaves inconspicuously

Question 16

What behaviours did the observers record during the strange situation?

Answer 16

Separation anxiety. Willingness to explore, Stranger anxiety, and reunion behaviour

Question 17

What were the results of The Strange Situation?

Answer 17

Type B - Securely attached (66%)
Type A - Insecure avoidant (22%)
Type C - Insecure resistant (11%)

Question 18

What was the conclusion of The Strange Situation?

Answer 18

Infants showing different reactions to their carers have different attachment types. There is also an apparent link between mother’s behaviour and infant’s behaviour

Question 19

Strengths of The Strange Situation

Answer 19

Easy to replicate - high level of control, standardised procedure shows high internal + external validity
Appropriate method in terms of time and cost effectiveness for measuring the behaviour that ensures control

Question 20

Weaknesses of the strange situation

Answer 20

Questions of cross cultural validity as there are differences in child rearing practices

Some measures could be questioned, proximity seeking could be a sign of insecurity

Ignores wider family and focuses on the mother

Ecological validity - ‘Strange Situation’ Reduced ecological validity as child may behave differently at home