Strange Situation & Attachment Types

• The Strange Situation

  Developed by Ainsworth, the aim was to observe key attachment behaviours as a means of assessing the quality of attachment to a caregiver.
• Procedure

  It was a controlled observation procedure which is designed to measure the security a baby displays towards their caregiver. Taking place in a standardised room with a 2-way mirror so babies behaviour could be observed- laboratory conditions.

  The procedure had 7 episodes, each lasting 3 minutes.
• Behaviours used to judge attachment:

  Proximity-seeking: a baby with good quality attachment would stay close to the caregiver.

  Exploration and Secure-Base Behaviour: good attachment enables a baby to feel confident exploring, using their caregiver as a point of contact.

  Stranger and Separation Anxiety

  Response to Reunion: securely attached babies greet the caregivers return with pleasure and seek comfort.
• Findings: Types of Attachment

  Secure Attachment (Type B): these babies explore happily, but regularly return to their caregiver (proximity-seeking and secure-base behaviour). They usually show moderate separation distress and stranger anxiety. They require and accept comfort from the caregiver that the reunion stage. 60 to 75% of UK babies are classified as secure.
• Findings: Types of Attachment

  Insecure-Avoidant Attachment (Type A): these babies explore freely but don't seek proximity or show secure-base behaviour. They show little to no reaction when their caregiver leaves, and little stranger anxiety. They make little effort to make contact at reunion, and may even avoid eye contact. 20 to 25% of UK babies are classified as avoidant.
• Findings: Types of Attachment

  Insecure-Resistant Attachment (Type C): babies seek greater proximity than others do and they then explore less; they show high levels of separation and stranger distress- but resist comfort when reunited with their caregiver. Around 3% of UK babies are classified as resistant.
• AO3- Good Predictive Validity

  A strength is that the outcome of babies' classification has helped to predict several aspects of baby's later development. Large bodies of research show that those assessed as Type B tend to have better outcomes, both in later childhood and adulthood- better achievement in school and less involvement in bullying, McCormick et al. Securely attached tend to have better mental health, Ward et al. This suggests that the SS measures something real and meaningful in baby's development.
• AO3- Counterpoint to Predictive Validity

  Not all psychologists believe it measures attachment, Kagan suggests that it is genetically-influenced anxiety levels that could instead account for variations in attachment behaviour in the Strange Situation, and later development.
• AO3- Good Reliability

  It has good inter-rater reliability; Bick et al tested the inter-rater reliability for the SS with a team of trained observers. They found agreement on attachment types on 94% of cases. High levels of reliability may be because the procedure took place in controlled conditions, and such behaviours involve large movements which are easy to observe. This means we are sure that attachment type isn't reliant on subjective judgements.
• AO3- The Test may be Culture-Bound

  It may not be a valid measure of attachment in different cultural contexts; it was developed in Britain and the US (Western ideals)- it is only valid for a certain culture. Babies have different experiences in different cultures, and these may affect their responses to the SS. E.g. Takahashi completed a study in Japan, babies displayed higher levels of separation anxiety and a disproportionate number were classified as resistant; but it was suggested the anxiety response was due to mother-infant separation in Japan being rare.
• AO3- Other Attachment Type

  Main and Soloman identified a 4th category of attachment- a Disorganised Attachment (Type D); a mix of avoidant and resistant behaviours. However, Type D babies are unusual and have generally experienced some form of abuse or neglect, they will most likely develop psychological disorders by adulthood.