types of attchment

• What are Ainsworth's types of attachment?

  Proximity Seeking =Infant with a good attachment would stay close to the caregiver.

  Exploration/ Secure-Base Behaviour =The infant is confident to explore if their CG is there as a base.

  Stranger anxiety =Show anxiety as stranger approaches.

  Separation anxiety =Shows protest when CG separates.

  Response to the Reunion =Infant greets CG's return with pleasure and seeks comfort.
• Outline Ainsworth's 'Strange Situation' experiment - aim, research method, participants (detailed)

  Aim: This study aimed to investigate the individual differences in attachment, (secure, insecure attachments).

  In addition, Ainsworth et al wanted to see how infants would react under conditions of mild stress (created by being separated from primary caregiver and the presence of a stranger in the room).

  Research Method: Laboratory using structured controlled observations.

  Participants:Infants aged between 12-18 months.
• Outline Ainsworth's 'Strange Situation' experiment - key observations in procedure (detailed)


  Key observations in the Strange Situation procedure:

  (1) Separation Anxiety: the amount of distress shown when a caregiver briefly leaves the room/environment.

  (2) Stranger Anxiety: the amount of distress shown in response to a stranger.

  (3) Reunion Behaviour: behaviour on being reunited with their caregiver.

  (4) Willingness to Explore: whether the infant feels they have a ‘secure base’ to explore the environment (including whether they orientate towards the caregiver).
• Ainsworth's findings (3 types of attachment).

  1. Secure Attachment

  2. Insecure-Avoidant Attachment

  3. Insecure-Resistant Attachment
• What is Secure Attachment?

  [60-75% of British babies]

  Explore happily but have strong secure base & proximity seeking. Moderate separation & stranger anxiety.

  Accept comfort with reunion from CG.
• What is Insecure-Avoidant Attachment?

  [20-25% of British babies]

  Explore freely but do not seek proximity or a secure base.

  Little reaction to separation & stranger anxiety.

  Little reaction to reunion & may even try to avoid it.
• What is Insecure-Resistant Attachment?

  [~3% of British babies]

  Seek greater proximity than others so explore less.

  They show high levels of stranger & separation anxiety but resist comfort when reunited with caregiver.

  • High or extreme stranger anxiety

  • High or extreme separation anxiety

  • Resist comfort from the caregiver on reunion

  • Explore less

  • More clingy.
• good predictive validity 


  P: strength - outcome predicts several aspects of baby's later development

  E: babies assessed as type b (secure) tend to get better academic achievements and have better mental health

  E: babies assessed as insecure-resistant tend to have worse outcomes

  L: therefore strange situation measures something real and meaningful
• counterpoint 


  P: limitation - measures something important associated with later development

  E: but not all psychologists believe this something is attachment

  E: e.g. genetically-influenced anxiety levels could account for variations in attachment

  L: therefore strange situations may not measure attachment
• good reliability 


  P: strength - good inter-rater reliability

  E: researcher found agreement between observers in 94% of cases

  E: high level of reliability because the procedure takes place under controlled conditions and large movements observed

  L: therefore ensures attachment types assessed by strange situations do not depend on subjective judgments
• test may be culture-bound

  P: limitation - not valid in other cultures

  E: Japanese children showed high levels of separation anxiety and were classed as insecure-resistant

  E: but may be due to the unusual nature of the experience as mother-baby separation rare

  L: therefore difficult to know what strange situations is measuring when in other countries
• ainsworth strange situations procedure

  series of 8 situations:

  • child encouraged to explore (tests exploration and secure base).
  • stranger enters and talks to caregiver.
  • stranger approaches child (tests stranger anxiety).
  • caregiver leaves child with the stranger (tests separation and stranger anxiety).
  • caregiver returns, stranger leaves (tests reunion and secure base).
  • caregiver leaves child alone (tests separation anxiety).
  • stranger returns (tests stranger anxiety).
  • caregiver returns, reunites with child (tests reunion).