Strange Situation - Attachments

• Ainsworth - 1970

  • Aim: To find a way of measuring attachment
  • Method devised as a way of measuring the quality of an infants attachment
• Involves a number of stages designed to gradually increase the level of stress the infant experiences
• Attachment Style Findings: Secure

  • Willingness to explore - High, safe base
  • Stranger anxiety - High
  • Separation anxiety - High
  • Behaviour on reunion - Instantly soothed
  • Percentage - 66%
• Attachment Style Findings: Avoidant Insecure

  • Willingness to explore - Very High
  • Stranger anxiety - Don't Care
  • Separation anxiety - No Change
  • Behaviour on reunion - No Change
  • Percentage - 22%
• Attachment Styles Findings: Resistant Insecure

  • Willingness to explore - Low
  • Stranger anxiety - Very High
  • Separation anxiety - Very High
  • Behaviour on reunion - Seek and Reject
  • Percentage - 12%
• Weakness - Population Validity:

  • Used 100 middle class American infants (12-18 months) and their mothers
• Weakness - Ethics:

  • Involves a number of stages designed to gradually increase the level of stress the infant experiences
  • Baby doesn't consent to it
• Weakness - Internal Validity

  • Demand characteristics of mother
  • Isn't applicable in other cultures
  • Baby may be having a bad day
  • Only measures relationship with mum, what if they had a monotropic relationship with dad
  • Lab setting, confounding variable and throws the baby of as its out of its natural environment
• Strength - Scientific

  • Controlled observation
  • In a lab setting
  • Predetermined
  • Standardised
  • Control of variables
  • Keeping the variables constant across all tests
• Stages of Method:

  1. Observer takes mum and baby into room then leaves
  2. Mum allows baby to explore
  3. Stranger enters room, silent, talks to mum, then approaches baby
  4. Mum leaves, strangers interacts with baby
  5. Mum returns and greets/ comforts baby, settles baby in play then leaves
  6. Baby is alone
  7. Stranger enters and interacts with baby
  8. Mum returns greets and picks up baby, stranger leaves