ainsworth's strange situation

• Strange situation


  A controlled observation designed to test attachment security. Babies are assessed on their responses to playing in an unfamiliar room, being left alone, left with a stranger and being reunited with a caregiver.
• Behaviours used in the observation to judge attachment

  • Proximity-seeking
  • Exploration and secure base behaviours
  • Stranger anxiety
  • Separation anxiety
  • Response to reunion
• Strange situation procedure


  1. Baby is encouraged to explore

  2. A stranger comes in, talks to the caregiver and approaches the baby

  3. The caregiver leaves the baby and stranger together

  4. The caregiver returns and the stranger leaves

  5. The caregiver leaves the baby alone

  6. The stranger returns

  7. The caregiver returns and is reunited with the baby
• Type B (Secure attachment)


  • Happily and regularly return to attachment figure
  • Moderate separation anxiety and stranger anxiety
  • Require and accept comfort at reunion
  • Explores happily
• Type A (Insecure avoidant)


  • Explore freely with little referencing of attachment figure
  • Little or no reaction when caregiver leaves or returns
  • Little or no stranger anxiety
  • Do no require comfort an may avoid contact
  • Do not seek proximity
• Type C (Insecure resistant)

  • Explore less and remain close to attachment figure - seek greater proximity
  • A Lot of stranger and separation anxiety- the baby doesnt know what they want
  • Resist comfort at reunion with attachment figure
• Percentage of infants


  • Type B (Secure attachment): 60-75%
  • Type A (Insecure avoidant): 20-25%
  • Type C (Insecure resistant): 3%
• highly controlled observation due to standardised procedure and clear behavioural categories - easily replicated
• strange situation - culture bound test - not valid when applied to other countries, imposed etic (when researchs assume their cultural standards can apply to others) - some cultures teach infants to be more independent - TSS would assume they have an insecure attachment
• strange situation - highly controlled enviroment - lacks ecological validity as held in lab - demand characteristics may mean parents change behaviour as they know they are being watched