types of attachment

• Ainsworth and Bell, the strange situation

  • Ainsworth and Bell = developed the strange situation as a method to assess the quality of a baby’s attachment to a caregiver
  • It is a controlled observation procedure in a lab (a controlled environment) with a two-way mirror through which psychologists can observe a baby’s behaviour
• Ainsworth and Bell, the strange situation (procedure)

  • 5 categories used to judge attachment quality:
  • Proximity-seeking = well-attached babies stay close to caregiver
  • Exploration and secure-base behaviour = good attachment makes a baby confident to explore, using the caregiver as a point of safety
  • Stranger anxiety = displayed by well-attached babies
  • Separation anxiety = displayed by well-attached babies
  • Response to reunion with the caregiver after separation for a short period of time = well-attached babies are enthusiastic
• Ainsworth and Bell, the strange situation (procedure) pt 2

  • The procedure has 7 ‘episodes’, each lasting 3 minutes:
  • Baby is encouraged to explore by caregiver
  • Stranger enters and talks to caregiver, approaches baby
  • Caregiver leaves
  • Caregiver returns, stranger leaves
  • Caregiver leaves baby alone
  • Stranger returns
  • Caregiver returns
• Ainsworth and Bell, the strange situation (findings/conclusions)

  • Ainsworth and Bell found distinct patterns in the way babies behaved
  • They identified 3 main types:
  • Secure attachment
  • Insecure-avoidant attachment
  • Insecure-resistant attachment
• secure attachment

  • Type B
  • 60-75% of British toddlers
  • Baby happy to explore but seeks proximity to caregiver (secure base)
  • Shows moderate separation anxiety and stranger anxiety
  • Requires and accepts comfort from caregiver on reunion
• insecure-avoidant attachment

  • Type A
  • 20-25% of British toddlers
  • Baby explores freely but does not seek proximity (no secure base)
  • Shows little/ no separation and stranger anxiety
  • Avoids contact at the reunion stage
• insecure-resistant attachment

  • Type C
  • 3% of British toddlers
  • Baby explores less and seeks greater proximity
  • Shows considerable stranger and separation anxiety
  • Resists comfort when reunited with caregiver
• strength = the strange situation has good predictive validity

  • Attachment type predicts later development
  • Eg = secure babies typically have greater success at school
  • In contrast, insecure-resistant attachment is associated with the worst outcomes
  • Eg = bullying and adult mental health problems
  • This is evidence for the validity of the concept because it can explain (predict) future outcomes
• counterpoint to having good predictive validity

  • Although the strange situation measures something that predicts later development - it may be measuring genetic differences in anxiety
  • Means the strange situation may not actually measure attachment
• strength = strange situation has good inter-rater reliability

  • Different observers watching the same babies generally agree on attachment type
  • Eg = Bick et al = found 94% agreement in one team
  • This may be because the strange situation takes place under controlled conditions and because the behavioural categories are easy to observe
  • Means that we can be confident that the attachment type of a baby identified in the strange situation does not depend on who is observing them
• limitation = the strange situation may be a culture-bound test

  • The strange situation test might not have the same meaning in countries outside europe and the US where it was created
  • Cultural differences in children’s experiences mean they respond differently
  • Eg = Japanese babies show anxiety because they are not used to being left caregiver
  • This means it is difficult to know what the strange situation is measuring in some countries/cultures
• extra evaluation = other attachment types

  • Main and Solomon = identified a 4th category of attachment:
  • disorganised (type D) = a mix of resistant and avoidant behaviours
  • BUT = type D babies are unusual and have generally experienced some form of severe neglect or abuse - associated with late psychological disorders
  • Means that Ainsworth‘s classification is adequate as a description of normal variations in attachment