Types of attachment

• Strange situation - Ainsworth and Bell
• Strange situation - Procedure:

  • controlled laboratory observation - measure the security of attachment
  • two-way mirror and cameras
  • Judged: proximity-seeking, exploration + secure-base behaviour, stranger anxiety, separation anxiety, response to reunion
• Strange situation - seven stages:

  • caregiver + baby in unfamiliar playroom - baby encouraged to explore
  • stranger enters - talks to the caregiver and baby
  • caregiver leaves the baby and the stranger
  • caregiver returns and the stranger leaves
  • caregiver leaves the baby alone
  • the stranger returns
  • the caregiver returns and is reunited with the baby
• Strange situation - findings:

  secure attachment (60-70%)- babies explore happily but regularly go back to their caregiver. Show moderate separation distress and moderate stranger anxiety. Require and accept comfort form caregiver in reunion stage.
• Strange situation - findings:

  Insecure-avoidant attachment (20-25%) - babies explore freely and don't seek proximity or show secure-base behaviour. Show no reaction when caregiver leaves and little stranger anxiety. Make little effort to make contact when caregiver returns (may avoid).
• Strange situation - findings:

  Insecure-resistant attachment (3%) - babies seek greater proximity and explore less. Show high levels of stranger and separation distress - resist comfort when reunited.
• AO3 - strange situation: good predictive validity 


  A large body of research suggests babies with secure attachment have better outcomes than others (educational achievement, good mental health). Those insecure-resistant attachments tend to have worst outcomes.

  • strange situation measures something real + meaningful
• AO3 - strange situation: good inter-rater reliability

  Bick: tested inter-rater reliability and found agreement on attachment type in 94% of cases. Procedure takes place under controlled conditions and behaviours are easy to observe. (anxious babies cry)

  • attachment type does not depend on subjective judgements.
• AO3 - strange situation: culture-bound

  Developed in Britain and the US. Babies have different experiences in different cultures that affect their responses to Strange situations. Takahashi - Japanese study shows a disproportionate number of children were insecure-resistant because it was unusual for babies to be separated from mothers.