A01

• What is the Strange Situation?

  A systematic way to test the nature of attachment between infant and caregiver
• What are the 7 stages of the Strange stranger Situation?

  1. Infant and caregiver play

  2. Stranger enters

  3. Caregiver leaves

  4. Caregiver returns and stranger leaves

  5. Caregiver leaves

  6. Stranger returns

  7. Caregiver returns
• Which 4 types of behaviours was the Strange Situation testing for?

  1. Separation anxiety

  2. Stranger anxiety

  3 . Secure-base behaviour

  4. Reunion behaviour
• In the first stage when caregiver and infant are playing together which behaviour is this testing for?

  Secure-base behaviour
• What are the three types of attachment Ainsworth found?

  Secure, insecure-resistant, insecure-avoidant
• What is a secure attachment?

  - Shows secure-base behaviour

  - Moderate levels of separation and stranger anxiety

  - Easily comforted when mother returns
• What is an insecure-avoidant attachment?

  - Does not use mother as a secure base and comfortable to explore

  - Low levels of separation and stranger anxiety

  - Shows little interest when mother returns
• What is an insecure-resistant attachment?

  - Not confident to explore and clings to mother

  - Extreme levels of separation and stranger anxiety

  - Reunion behaviour - seeks mother and rejects her e.g. may push her away
• Describe the findings of the Strange Situation

  UK:

  Secure = 60-75%

  Insecure-avoidant = 20-25 %

  Insecure-resistant = 3 %