Ainsworth 'strange situation

• AO1 - Aim 


  To see how an infant behaves under conditions of mild stress
• AO1 - Participants 


  106 white middle class infants (12-18 months) and their mothers
• AO1- 


  Observational laboratory experiment
• AO1- Looked at 4 behaviours:

  -Reunion behaviour

  -Stranger anxiety

  -Separation anxiety

  -Using mother as a safe base
• AO1- Findings 


  Secure attachment - 66%

  Insecure resistant -12%

  Insecure avoidant - 22%
• AO1- Secure attachment (observed behaviours)

  A securely attached infant would be happy to roam about the room whilst ensuring the carer's presence, would show some distress at their absence and be wary of the stranger, but welcome their mother back upon return

  He stated this was because caregiver had sensitivity to infants needs
• AO1 - Insecure avoidant (observed behaviour)

  An insecure avoidant infant was not affected by its mothers presence and would not orient their behaviour towards her. When she left the room, they would show a little distress but reject the stranger and not seek comfort from their mother when she returned.

  Ainsworth argued that this was because mother showed little interest in infant
• AO1- Insecure resistant (observed behaviour)

  An insecure resistant child would become very upset at separation and were not comforted by the stranger or easily comforted when their mother returned. These babies seemed to expect the relationship to be difficult and alternated between seeking closeness and wanting distance from their mothers

  Ainsworth stated this was cause the caregiver was not sensitive to childs need and orientated towards their own needs- e.g waking the child to play when sleeping
• AO1 - Conclusion 


  -Key issue is sensitivity of the caregiver and this determines attachment type
• AO1 - Conclusion securely attached children

  The caregiver will be sensitive to the infants needs (feed when hungry, let infant sleep, give comfort when needed)
• AO1 - Conclusion insecure resistant children

  The caregiver is often interested in the child but misunderstood the needs (might wake the child when it sleeps, misinterpret the infants needs and focus more on their own)
• AO1 - Conclusion Avoidant children 


  The caregiver is often uninterested and rejecting of the child (does not respond much at all to childs needs)
• AO3 - Weakness 


  Although this experiment expanded our knowledge of attachment, can be argued only having 3 attachment types is too restrictive and not all children will fit into categories.

  Soloman and Main in 1986 found a fourth attachment type called disorganised attachment therefore, gives evidence these 3 types too narrow.
• AO3- Weakness (population validity)

  However, experiment was not a representative sample because Ainsworth and Bell used only white middle class Americans.

  Therefore, generalisations should not be made from this. As a result, it can be argued that this research lacks population validity
• AO3- Weakness (culture) 


  It can be argued that because tool they used was created by them as western psychologists, it may not be suitable for use in other cultures.

  E.G 1991 Grossman and Grossman found that majority of german children tend to be insecurely rather than securely attached due to differences in child rearing resulting in more distant child carer relationship. This demonstrates how Ainsworth and Bell's Strange situation does not always measure attachment accurately in other cultures
• AO3- Weakness (Culture in addition)

  Takahashi studied 60 japanese children in 1990 using the strange situation, and 90% of the experiments conducted had to be stopped because the infant became so distressed at separation further showing the inaccuracy of Ainsworth and Bell's results when applied to other cultures
• AO3 - Weakness (Validity)

  It was conducted in an artificial environment and therefore the results may lack validity due to demand characteristics interfering, E.G mothers may have behaved differently whilst in lab setting. One could argue that child may not be attached to the mother but have a different attachment figure.

  Therefore, it can be argued that the research lacks internal validity
• Strange situation procedure -

  1.Mother and baby enter room

  2.Stranger enters, talks to mother and gradually approaches baby. Mother leaves.

  3.Stranger and baby together

  4.Mother returns stranger leaves. When baby is settled, mother leaves again

  5.Baby is alone

  6.Stranger returns and is alone with baby

  7.Mother returns and stranger leaves
• Type A (insecure avoidant) -

  -Not bothered when mum comes back

  -Explores freely without bothering where mum is

  -Not bothered by the appearance of a stranger

  -Is not at all upset when mum goes
• Type B (secure) -

  -Is moderately upset when mum goes

  -A little wary of the stranger

  -Explores happily while keeping an eye on mum

  -Is readily comforted by mum when she returns
• Type C (insecure resistant)-

  -Does not explore very much; keeps very near mum

  -Is extremely upset when mum goes

  -Does not like stranger at all

  -Is cross with mum on return and not easily comforted