strange situation

• Ainsworth conducted a controlled observation of children's attachment behaviour using 'strange situation classification'

  • sample - 100 middle class American infants and their mothers
  • judge child's reaction via two-way mirror: willingness to explore, separation anxiety, stranger anxiety, reunion behaviour
• secure attachment (70%)

  • willing to explore - uses mother as secure base
  • upset when mother leaves (separation anxiety)
  • avoidant of stranger but friendly when mother is present (stranger anxiety)
  • positive when mother returns (reunion behaviour)
  • associated with a responsive primary caregiver
• Insecure-avoidant

  • Willing to explore environment
  • Unconcerned (indifferent) by mother’s absence (separation anxiety)
  • Unconcerned, often avoidant of mother and stranger (stranger anxiety)
  • Unresponsive when she returned (reunion behaviour)

  Associated with an unresponsive primary caregiver
• Insecure-resistant

  • Low willingness to explore environment.
  • Intensely distressed when mother left (separation anxiety)
  • Extreme fear of stranger (stranger anxiety)
  • Clinginess mixed with rejection on return (reunion behavior)

  Associated with inconsistent primary caregiver