Types of attachment

• Who developed the procedure to measure attachment types?

  Ainsworth et al.
• What is the name of the procedure developed by Ainsworth et al.?

  The strange situation
• What age range is the strange situation procedure suitable for?

  9 – 18 months
• In what setting does the strange situation procedure take place?

  In a laboratory playroom
• How many stages does the strange situation consist of?

  8 stages
• What are the stages of the strange situation procedure?

  1. Mother and infant enter playroom
  2. Infant encouraged to explore
  3. Stranger enters, talks to mother, approaches infant
  4. Mother leaves infant with stranger
  5. Mother returns, stranger leaves
  6. Mother leaves infant alone
  7. Stranger returns
  8. Mother returns, stranger leaves
• What behaviors do researchers record during the strange situation?

  Separation anxiety, stranger anxiety, reunion behaviour
• How often do researchers record the infant's behavior?

  Every 15 seconds
• How many American infants were originally tested by Ainsworth et al.?

  106 infants
• Into how many broad attachment types can infants be classified?

  Three broad attachment types
• What percentage of infants were classified as secure?

  66%
• How did secure infants behave in the strange situation?

  Explored with mother as a secure base
• What was the response of secure infants when separated from their mother?

  Showed some distress
• How did secure infants react upon their mother's return?

  Easily soothed upon mother's return
• What percentage of infants were classified as insecure-avoidant?

  22%
• How did insecure-avoidant infants behave in the strange situation?

  Explored without using mother as secure base
• What was the response of insecure-avoidant infants when separated from their mother?

  Showed little response
• What percentage of infants were classified as insecure-resistant?

  12%
• How did insecure-resistant infants behave in the strange situation?

  Unwilling to explore with or without mother
• What was the response of insecure-resistant infants when separated from their mother?

  Showed immediate and intense distress
• How did insecure-resistant infants react upon reunion with their mother?

  Showed conflicting desires for contact
• What general behavior did insecure-resistant infants exhibit towards social interaction with their mother?

  Sought and rejected social interaction
• what is a strength of research into types of attachment

  Strength = strange situation = reliable procedure. 1 measure of internal reliability is inter-observer reliability, (extent to which observers agree on what they see). Ainsworth et al. (1978) reported good inter-observer reliability for original strange situation experiment. E.g found almost perfect agreement between observers when rating exploratory behaviour. Suggests strange situation = reliable procedure for measuring attachment types. 
• What is a weakness of research into types of attachment

  One weakness is strange situation -> ethical issues.E.g, in stage 6 when  infants were left completely alone, 20% of infants reportedly cried “desperately”. Mothers felt upset by procedure- prevented from comforting their child immediately. Suggests  strange situation procedure does not protect pts from psychological harm.
• What is a weakness of research into types of attachment

  Weakness = strange situation procedure lacks validity. 

  • conducted in a lab setting -> infants may behave differently in more natural setting E.G own home. Lacks ecological validity. 
  • Finally, Ainsworth originally only tested American infants. Findings lack population validity (may not generalise 2 infants from other cultures). Suggests -> strange situation lacks validity in multiple ways.
• What is a weakness of research into types of attachment

  Weakness = other psychs suggested some infants aren't in 1 of 3 attach. types proposed by Ainsworth et al. (1978).

  • E.g Main & Solomon (1986) reanalysed Ainsworth et al.’s strange situation videos, + found some infants showed inconsistent behaviours - E.g would show very strong attach. behaviour followed by avoidance/looking fearful
  • Main + Solomon suggested should be placed in 4th category (disorganised type)
  • Suggests Ainsworth et al. (1978) may have placed some infants into categories - not entirely suited their behaviour.