Ainsworth's strange situation

• The strange situation was designed by Mary Ainsworth (1969).​ The aim was to be able to observe key attachment behaviours as a means of assessing the quality of a child’s attachment to a caregiver.​
• The strange situation is a controlled observation procedure designed to measure the security of attachment a child displays towards a caregiver, including 100 middle-class Americans & their infants.​ It took place in a room with controlled conditions e.g. a laboratory and a two-way mirror through which psychologists could observe the infant's behaviour.​
• 5 behavioursused to judge attachment included:

  1. Proximity seeking
  2. Exploration and secure-base behaviours
  3. Stranger anxiety
  4. Separation anxiety
  5. Response to reunion
• Proximity-seeking behaviour is when an infant stays fairly close to their caregiver who they are attached to.
• Exploration and secure-base behaviours are when a strong, positive attachment enables a child to feel confident to explore, using their caregiver as a secure base (point of contact that makes them feel safe).
• Stranger anxiety is when an infant becomes distressed when a stranger approaches.
• Separation anxiety is when an infant becomes distressed when they are separated from their caregiver.
• Response to reunion is how the infant reacts to the caregiver coming back after a short period of separation.
• The procedure:

  1. mother sits; child is on the floor free to explore which tests exploration and secure-base behaviour
  2. stranger enters; tries to interact with infant which tests stranger anxiety
  3. caregiver leaves the child and stranger together which tests separation anxiety
  4. caregiver returns and the stranger leaves which tests reunion behaviours and exploration and secure-base behaviours
  5. caregiver leaves the child alone which tests separation anxiety
  6. the stranger returns which tests stranger anxiety
  7. caregiver returns and is reunited with the child which tests reunion response
• Ainsworth et al identified three main types of attachment:

  • secure attachment (type B)
  • insecure-avoidance attachment (type A)
  • insecure-resistant attachment (type C)
• Insecure-avoidant attachment (Type A): ​

  • These children explore freely but do not seek proximity or show secure base behaviour. ​
  • Show little or no reaction when their caregiver leaves and make little effort to make contact when the caregiver returns. ​
  • They also show little stranger anxiety and they do not require comfort at the reunion stage. ​
  • About 22% of UK toddlers are classified as insecure-avoidant.​
• Insecure-resistant attachment (Type C): ​

  • These children seek greater proximity than others so explore less. ​
  • They show huge stranger and separation anxiety but they resist comfort when reunited with their carer. ​
  • Around 3% of British toddlers are classified as insecure-resistant.​
• Secure attachment (Type A):

  • Children explore happily but regularly go back to their caregiver (proximity seeking and secure base behaviour).
  • They usually show moderate separation and stranger anxiety.
  • Require and accept comfort from the caregiver in the reunion stage.
  • About 75% of British toddlers are classified as securely attached.