Ainsworth & Bell

• What was the aim?

  • To investigate attachment using strange situations and whether child would use mother as a secure base to explore
• What was the method and sample?

  • Controlled observation through one way mirror as they participated in strange situations
  • 56 participants whose families were white/middle class
  • Contacted through paediatricians in office
• Describe the 8 episodes

  1: Mum (M) carries baby (B) into room w/ observer who leaves

  2: M put b in specific spot and sat quiet in chair, only ppting if b want attention

  3: Stranger (S) enter, sat, spoke with m, approached b w/ toy

  4: M leaves room. If child inactive, stranger interests with toys. If distress, s comforts them.

  • Can‘t comfort = cut short

  5: M entered. S left. Once b interested in play, m goes saying bye bye

  6: B alone

  • Distressed = cut short

  7: S enters and behaves like ep 4 for 3 mins, unless b distress

  8: S left/m returned. Reunion observed = terminated.
• PROCEDURE: What was the inter-rater reliability?

  • Inter-rater reliability rate between 2 observers 99% concordance rate
• PROCEDURE: How was exploratory behaviour measured?

  • Exploratory behaviour (locomotor, manipulatory, crying) measured through giving 1 score for each 15 second interval it happened.
  • Max score of 12 per episode

  e.g if cried twice, 2 score (2 diff 15 second intervals)
• PROCEDURE: How were attachment behaviours measured?

  Attachment behaviours by using a 7-point rating scale depending on intensity. Included:

  • Contact seeking behaviours (Directed cries, Reaching/leaning, Approaching/climbing up)
  • Contact maintaining behaviours (Holding on/resisting release, vocal protest of release if contact lost)
  • Interaction avoiding (Ignoring/looking away from adult that isnt mother)
  • Interaction resisting (Anger/ pushing/ kicking away adult that isnt mother that interacts)
  • Searching (looking at empty mother chair, following mother to door, banging on door)
• What were the results?

  • Used mother as secure base to explore the strange situation. Once gone, exploratory behaviour decreased
  • Crying increased in ep 4 and 6 but not with stranger entering in 7, suggesting absence of mother causes distress
  • 52 cried/searched when alone
  • Contact-maintaining increased in first reunion (5) and even more in ep 8.

  o   Less to stranger than mother

  • In reunion episode, some baby resisted contact with mother
• What were the conclusions?

  • Absence of mother lowers exploration of strange situations
  • There are individual differences in attachment quality
  • Attachment behaviours increase in threatening situations