A01 Ainsworth's Strange Situation

• The strange situation

  Developed by Ainsworth and the aim was to observe key attachment behaviours as a means of assessing the quality of a child's attachment to a care giver
• Procedure of the strange situation study

  SS controlled observation designed to measure security of attachment a child displays towards caregiver. Took place in a lab with two-way mirror where psychologists observe infant's behaviour
• Behaviours used to judge attachment

  Proximity seeking where infant stays close to caregiver with good attachment, exploration and secure-base behaviour
• Good attachment

  enables child to feel confident to explore, using caregiver as secure base, stranger anxiety, separation anxiety, response to reunion with caregiver after separation for short period of time under controlled observations
• Procedure

  Procedure has seven episodes all lasting 3 mins:

  1. Child encouraged to explore

  2. Stranger comes in and tries to interact with child

  3. Caregiver leaves child and stranger together

  4. Caregiver returns and stranger leaves

  5. Caregiver leaves child alone

  6. Stranger returns

  7. Caregiver returns and reunites with child
• Secure attachment (Type B)


  Children explore happily but go back regularly to caregiver. Show moderate separation/stranger anxiety. Securely attached children require/accept comfort from caregiver at reunion stage. 60-75% of British toddlers are 'secure
• Insecure-avoidant attachment (Type A)


  Children explore freely but do not show proximity behaviour or show secure base behaviour. Show little/no reaction when caregiver leaves and make little effort to make contact when caregiver returns. Do not require comfort at reunion stage. 20-25% British toddlers
• Insecure resistant attachment (Type C)

  Children seek greater proximity than other and therefore explore less. Show huge separation/stranger anxiety and distress but they resist comfort when reunited with caregiver. Around 3% of British toddlers