strange situation

• what was the strange situation used to measure?

  types of attachment
• what was the aim of the strange situation?

  to see how infants behaved under stress created by the presence of a stranger and separation from their mother
• what was the method of the strange situation?

  • in a research room with spaces marked off to record movement
  • 7 episodes and 5 measures
  • data collected every 15 seconds by a group of observers through a 2 way mirror
  • researcher notes one of the following behaviours and the intensity on a scale of 1-7 : proximity seeking behaviours, exploration and secure base behaviours, stranger anxiety, separation anxiety, reunion behaviour
• what happens in episode 1?

  • mother and infant present
  • duration : 3 mins
  • description: mother is non-participant whilst baby explores. If necessary, play is stimulated after 2 mins
• what happens in episode 2?

  • stranger, mother and infant present
  • duration: 3 mins
  • description: stranger enters, min 1 - stranger silent, min 2- stranger talks with mother, min 3- stranger approaches baby. after 3 mins mother leaves
• what happens in episode 3?

  • stranger and infant present
  • duration: 3 mins or less
  • description: first separation episode. Stranger's behaviour is geared to that of baby
• what happens in stage 4?

  • mother and infant present
  • duration: 3 mins or more
  • description
• what happens in stage 5?

  • infant present
  • duration: 3 mins or less
  • description: second separation episode
• what happens in episode 6?

  • stranger and infant present
  • duration: 3 mins or less
  • description: continuation of second separation. Stranger enters and gears behaviour to that of baby
• what happens in episode 7?

  • mother and infant present
  • duration: 3 mins
  • description: second reunion episode. Mother enters, greets baby, stranger leaves
• what is type B attachment?


  secure
• what is type A attachment?

  insecure avoidant
• what is type c attachment?

  insecure resistant
• what is the most common type of attachment according to the stranger situation?

  type b - secure attachment
• what level of proximity seeking is Type B?


  moderate
• what level of exploration is type B

  moderate
• what level of stranger anxiety is type B?


  moderate
• what level of separation anxiety is type B?


  moderate
• what is type B’s response to reunion?

  easily calmed
• what level of proximity seeking is type A?


  low
• what is the least common attachment type?

  Type C - insecure resistant
• what level of exploration is type A?

  high
• what level of stranger anxiety is type A?

  Low
• what level of separation anxiety is type A?

  low
• what is type A’s response to a reunion?

  ignores
• what level of proximity seeking is type C?

  high
• what level of exploration is type C?

  low
• what level of stranger anxiety is type C?

  high
• what level of separation anxiety is type c?

  High
• what is type C’s response to reunion?

  hard to calm