ainsworths strange situation

• what did mary ainsworth develop

  a lab observations with a two-way mirror which psychologists can observe an infants behaviour
• what did the procedure involve

  a number of different episodes, each lasting 3 minutes
• what happened at the beginning of the observations

  the child and caregiver enter an unfamiliar playroom
• what is the first episode and what does is test

  the child is encouraged to explore the play room testing secure base behaviour
• what is the second episode and what does it test

  a stranger comes into and tries to interact with the child testing stranger anxiety
• what is the third episode and what does it test

  the caregiver leaves the stranger and child together testing stranger and separation anxiety
• what is the fourth episode and what does it test

  the caregiver returns and the stranger leaves testing reunion and secure base behaviour
• how many types of attachments did ainsworth identify

  3 - secure, insecure-resistant and insecure-avoidant
• how did children secure attachment act

  they were happy to explore but seek proximity showing secure base behaviour and shows moderate separation anxiety and stranger anxiety and require and accept comfort from a caregiver on reunion
• how did children with insecure-avoidant attachments act

  they explored freely and does not seek proximity showing no secure base behaviour, they show little to no separation or stranger anxiety and do not require comfort upon reunion
• how did children with insecure-resistant attachment act

  they explore less and seek great proximity showing high secure base behaviour, they show considerable stranger and separation anxiety and resist comfort upon reunion
• what is one strength of ainsworths strange situation (PE) (later development)

  P - a strength of this is that attachment type predicts later development and therefore has predictive validity

  E - this early attachment type can accurately predict later relationship behaviour for example those with secure early attachment typically have successfully romantic and friendship relationships later in life
• what is one strength of ainsworths strange situation (EL) (later development)

  E - those with insecure-resistant attachment have been associated with bullying and adult mental health problems shown by ward et al

  L - therefore the strange situation is valid as it can predict future behaviour in relationships
• what is one limitation of ainsworths strange situation (PEE) (confounding variables)

  P - a limitation is that temperament may be a confounding varibale in the study

  E - ainsworth assumed that the main influence on separation and stranger anxiety was the quality of the attachment

  E - but other psychologist suggest that temperament ( the child's genetically influence personality) is a more important influence on behaviour in the strange situation
• what is one limitation of ainsworths strange situation (L) (confounding variables)

  L - this challenges the validity of the strange situation because its intention is to measure the quality of the attachment, not the temperament of the child
• what is one limitation of ainsworths strange situation (PEE) (other types)

  P - a limitation is that there may be other attachment types

  E - ainsworth identified 3 attachment types; secure, insecure-resistant and insecure-avoidant

  E - however main and soloman pointed out that some children display alternative attachments that do not fit these types. this is known as disorganized attachment, a mix of avoidant and resistant attachment behaviour
• what is one limitation of ainsworths strange situation (L) (other types)

  L - this challenges ainsworth's view on attachment and would question the strange situation is a useful method of identifying different types of attachment
• what is one limitation of ainsworths strange situation (PEE) (culture- bond test)

  P - a limitation would be that the strange situation may be a culture-bond test

  E - the test may not have the same meaning in outside western European countries and the USA such as japan

  E - however in countries such as japan it is a collective culture and therefore would be expected to have a secure-resistant attachment type and show stranger and separation anxiety is desirable
• what is one limitation of ainsworths strange situation (L) (culture-bond test)

  L - this means we cannot use this method to assess attachment types across cultures and cannot generalize to different parts of the world