Ainsworth- The strange situation

• Mary Ainsworth

  Mary Ainsworth was interested in exploring the differences in the attachments of infants. 

  A student of Bowlby, she developed a structured observation known as the “strange situation” to investigate them when interacting with their mothers.
• The Strange Situation (1978)

  This is a technique that places the infant in different situations in order to research the quality of attachment to the caregiver.

  Infants were aged between 12 and 18 months. 

  • The sample comprised about 100 middle class American families.
  • Controlled observation in a lab
  • Observers watched through a

  two-way mirror
• The Strange Situation (1978)

  This procedure (a series of 8 episodes, mainly lasting 3 mins each) provided Ainsworth with a means of looking at:

  1. Proximity seeking: Well attached children stay  close to caregiver
  2. Exploration and secure base: Well attached children will explore but also use the caregiver as a point of safety
  3. Stranger anxiety: A sign of attachment is to show anxiety when a stranger approaches
  4. Separation anxiety: A sign of attachment is to protest at separation from caregiver

  Response to reunion: Well-attached children are enthusiastic upon their caregivers return
• The Strange Situation (1978)

  Findings:

  Children generally explored the room more enthusiastically with mother present than absent.

  Reunions with the mother indicates 3 types of attachment:

  Type A – Insecure-Avoidant

  Type B – Securely Attached

  Type C – Insecure-Resistant
• Type A: Insecure-Avoidant

  These infants ignored their mothers and her 

  presence/absence didn’t affect their play. They did not 

  return to her at any intervals. 

  Infants displayed little stress when she left and ignored her 

  when she returned. 

  Infants reacted to the stranger and mother in a similar way – with little stranger anxiety shown. 

  Mothers were also not sensitive to the infants needs and would often be rejecting or ignore the child
• Type B: Secure

  These infants played contently with their mother 

  present (it didn’t matter if the stranger was present). 

  They would return to her periodically during their play.  

  During the reunions, they sought comfort from her and 

  then continued to play. 

  Mother and stranger were treated differently with moderate separation distress and stranger anxiety.

  Mothers were consistent, supportive and sensitive to their baby’s needs
• Type C: Insecure-Resistant

  15% of infants were fussy and wary even with the 

  mother present.  

  They explored less and stayed by their mother.  

  They showed huge stranger anxiety and separation anxiety.  

  They were distressed by her leaving and sought contact on her return but simultaneously would show anger and fight her contact e.g. would put their arms out to be picked up and then fight to be put down again

  Mothers were inconsistent in the way they responded to their baby’s needs
• The Strange Situation (1978)

  Conclusions - what causes this difference?

  Ainsworth argues that the differences are caused by the sensitivity of the mother to the infants needs.  

  E.g. mothers who read their infants well produce securely attached infants.
• AO3 - Evaluation

  (+) Good reliability

  Good inter-rater reliability (when different observers agree) is possible and shown. Why?

  Controlled lab conditions / use of behavioural categories makes behaviour easy to observe and record

  Bick (2012): Looked at inter-rater reliability in observers of Strange Situations. Found agreement of observers of 94% of babies (attachment types)
• AO3 - Evaluation

  (-) Culture bound?

  Cultural differences in childhood experience mean different children respond differently to the Strange Situation. Caregivers from different countries also behave differently in the Strange Situation.

  Example: Takahashi (1990) - this test doesn’t work in Japan. Mothers rarely separate from children; therefore high level of separation anxiety + during reunion stage, mothers rushed to the babies because they aren’t comfortable with the separation. This causes difficulties in observing the child’s response