ainsworth's strange situation

• P: subsequent research has found that ainsworth analysis overlooked a fourth type of attachment

  E: main and solomon analysed 200 strange situation videotapoes and proposed insecure-disorganised type D, characterised by a lack of consistent patterns of social behaviour.some infants dont have a consistent type of attachment and lack a coherent strategy for dealing with stress of separation.they show a strong attachment behaviour which is followed by avoidance or looking fearful towards caregiver.
• link for disorganised attachment

  L: this suggests that ainsworth's original conclusions were oversimplified and do not account for all attachment behaviours
• P: in observational studies such as ainsworth's, the reliability of observations is important.

  E: the measurements are confirmed as meaningful if there is agreement amongst observers called inter-observer reliability which is determined by comparing the ratings made by a panel of experienced judges. Ainsworth found almost perfect agreement when rating exploratory behaviour
• link for high reliability

  L: this points to a strength of the strange situation, namely that the observations can be accepted as being reliable.
• P: another strength of the strange situation is that intervention strategies can be developed to tackle situations where disordered patterns of attachment develop between infant and caregiver.

  E: the circle of security project teaches caregivers to better understand their infants signals of distress and to increase their understanding of what it feels like to experience anxiety. this project showed a decrease in the number of caregivers classified as disordered and an increase in infants classed as securely attachment
• link for real world application

  L: this supports the research on attachment types because such research can be used to improve children's lives