Strange Situation

• Who came up with the strange situation and when?

  Ainsworth ( 1969 )
• What was the aim of Ainsworth's Strange Situation?

  to measure the security of attachment a child shows towards their caregiver
• What was the method of Ainsworth's Strange Situation?

  a controlled observation of 106 American infants (aged 9-18 months) through a 1 way mirror which found 3 patterns of attachment
• What are the 3 attachment types found from this study?

  1. secure
  2. insecure-resistant
  3. insecure-avoidant
• What were the 8 conditions of the strange situation?

  1. child & caregiver enter an unfamiliar room
  2. stranger enters room & infant is encouraged to play
  3. stranger tries to interact with the infant
  4. caregiver leaves & stranger tries to interact with the infant
  5. caregiver returns (1st reunion)
  6. caregiver & stranger leave - child is left alone
  7. stranger returns & tries to interact with the child
  8. caregiver returns (2nd reunion) & stranger leaves
• What attachment behaviours were being observed by the infants?

  1. exploration & safe base behaviour
  2. stranger anxiety
  3. separation distress
  4. reunion behaviour
• What exploration & safe base behaviour would a securely attached infant exhibit?

  infant would explore new environments but would return to mother as a safe base
• What exploration & safe base behaviour would an insecure-resistant attached infant exhibit?

  infant would not explore new environments and cling to mother
• What exploration & safe base behaviour would an insecure-avoidant attached infant exhibit?

  infant would explore new environments but not return to mother as a safe base
• What stranger anxiety behaviour would a securely attached infant exhibit?

  infant would have moderate levels of stranger anxiety
• What stranger anxiety behaviour would an insecure-resistant attached infant exhibit?

  infant would have high levels of stranger anxiety & be very distressed
• What stranger anxiety behaviour would an insecure-avoidant attached infant exhibit?

  infant would show low levels of stranger anxiety
• What separation distress behaviour would a securely attached infant exhibit?

  infant would show moderate levels of separation distress
• What separation distress behaviour would an insecure-resistant attached infant exhibit?

  infant would show high levels of separation distress --> 'hot and cold' behaviour on return
• What separation distress behaviour would an insecure-avoidant attached infant exhibit?

  infant would show low levels of separation distress - unbothered by mother's departure
• What reunion behaviour would a securely attached infant exhibit?

  infant would show joy on reunion
• What reunion behaviour would an insecure-resistant attached infant exhibit?

  infant would show 'hot and cold' behaviour on return --> seeks proximity but refuses comfort
• What reunion behaviour would an insecure-avoidant attached infant exhibit?

  infant would be unbothered by mothers return
• What is the evaluation for Ainsworth's Strange Situation?

  :) Reliability

  :( Everyone

  :( Ethics
• Develop the reliability evaluation point

  • lab study --> controlled --> easy to replicate --> to examine reliability
  • inter-observer reliability --> several trained observers agreed (94%) on attachment types --> objective
  • overt observation for mothers --> demand characteristics/social desirability bias
• Develop the Everyone evaluation point

  • cultural differences --> carried out in UK/USA so they may have diff experiences in different cultures --> ethnocentric
  • can't be sure what the experiment is measuring when used outside USA (temperament or attachment)
• Develop the Ethics evaluation point

  • Infants & Caregivers put in stressful situations --> breaches protection from psych harm
  • Socially sensitive because caregivers feel responsible if told their child is insecure-resistant