A03 ss

• lacks interal and external valisity
• ethnocentrically biased
• strength- reliability
• tmeperant hypothesis ?
• One key strength of the strange situation The observations had high reliability, As the research is highly operationalised, observers have a clear view of how a securely attached infant should behave, due to the 4 specific criteria that Ainsworth used. Ainsworth found almost perfect agreement when using inter-rater reliability (0.94) between raters. Furthermore because of its standardised procedure, the strange situation is easily to replicate and many studies have found similar results, for example it has been able to be replicated in 8 countries, suggesting that the strange situation is a reliable method for testing attachment behaviours.   
• one limitation is that it lacks internal valditiy, Main and Weston (1981) – children behaved differently depending on which parent they were with. This suggests that the classification of attachment type may not be valid because only measuring one relationship of the mother.

  However if Bowlby’s view of monotropy is correct then the attachment type is largely related to one specific form of attachment. to support this Main then tested a group of children at age 9 and found attachment type was chiefly influenced by the mother.

  This supports Bowlby’s concept of Monotropy and the internal validity of the Strange situation. 

  however this novel enviornmemnt still lacks ecological validity as it was an unfamiliar enviornment and may not reflect how the children would act in an enviornment like their home or nursey
• Ainsworth’s strange situation is ethnocentrically biased because it was designed y americans only testing White middle class american families ,( individualist culture) Many researchers have therefore questioned whether the criteria can be suitable for testing the children of other cultures.  Mary Ainsworth assumed that separation anxiety was an indication of secure attachment.  However, separation anxiety in other societies may represent other factors. This an example of imposed etic as it has only been developed in america but, used in unfamiliar This cultural bias may mean that the types of attachment may not be valid when used in other cultures.
• in addition different cultures vary in norms for childrearing practices .which is something ainsworth hasnt considered affecting prevelnce of

  the types of attachment In Germany, there is a general desire to keep some interpersonal distance between parents and infants; therefore, parents would generally discourage proximity-seeking behaviours. suggesting the ss only reflects the norms and values of american cultures which could be differs in other cultures