AO1 - Ainsworth's Strange Situation

• In the strange situation method there are 8 pre-determined stages.
• Ainsworth and Bell (1970) conducted a controlled observation recording the reactions of a child and its mother.
• Stage 1 – Mother and child enter the playroom.
• Stage 2 – The child is encouraged to explore.
• Stage 3 – Stranger enters and attempts to interact with the child.
• Stage 4 – Mother leaves while the stranger is present with the child.
• Stage 5 – Mother enters and the stranger leaves the room.
• Stage 6 – Mother leaves the child alone in the room.
• Stage 7 – Stranger returns and tries to comfort the child.
• Stage 8 – Mother returns and comforts the child.
• Ainsworth & Bell (1970) had a sample of 100 middle class American infants and their mothers.
• The study was measuring separation anxiety, stranger anxiety, reunion behaviour and safe base/ proximity-seeking behaviour.
• Proximity-seeking behaviour is when a securely attached child seeks the safety of its mother, so stays close to her.
• Secure base behaviour is a point of contact for a securely attached child, they feel freedom to explore but will always return to the safe base of the mother.
• Stranger anxiety is distress in the presence of a stranger.
• Separation anxiety is protest or distress when separated from the primary caregiver.
• Reunion behaviour is the greeting after separation between a child and its mother.
• Stage 2 is measuring safe base behaviour and proximity-seeking behaviour.
• Stage 3 measures stranger anxiety.
• Stage 4 is measuring separation anxiety and stranger anxiety.
• Stage 5 is measuring reunion behaviour.
• Stage 6 is measuring separation anxiety and safe base behaviour.
• Stage 7 is measuring stranger anxiety.
• Stage 8 is measuring reunion behaviour.
• The strange situation highlights the role of the mother’s behaviour in determining the quality of attachment.
• This study led to the Caregiver Sensitivity Hypothesis, which suggests that a mother’s behaviour towards their infant predicts their attachment type.
• Ainsworth & Bell observed from the other side of a one-way mirror so that the children did not know that they were being observed.
• Securely attached children will show distress on separation.
• Insecure resistant children will show intense distress on separation.
• Insecure avoidant children will show no signs of distress on separation.