Ainsworths 'Strange situation'

• Secure


  secure attachment is the most desirable form of attachment and is associated with psychologically healthy outcomes.

  • This develops as a result of sensitive responding by the caregiver to the infant’s needs.
• Insecure-avoidant


  An attachment type characterised by low anxiety but weak attachment.

  • This develops as a result of the caregiver’s lack of sensitive responsiveness to the infant’s needs.
• Insecure-Resistant


  An attachment type characterised by high anxiety and strong attachment

  • This develops as a result of the caregiver’s ambivalence (inconsistency) to the infant’s needs.
• AIM (strange situation)


  to investigate individual differences in types of attachments, especially differences between secure and insecure attachments. She wanted to see how infants responded in a new and mildly stressful situation.
• PROCEDURE

  The Strange Situation took place in a purpose built laboratory playroom and the method used was a controlled observation (research was videotaped) mother&stranger, stranger, mother, alone
• Key behaviours


  Recorded by observers:

  • Exploration and secure base
  • Separation anxiety
  • Stranger anxiety
  • Reunion behaviour
• Secure 70%


  behaviours displayed:

  • exploration ✅
  • separation anxiety 〰️
  • stranger anxiety 〰️
  • joy on reunion ✅
• Insecure avoidant 20%


  behaviours displayed:

  • exploration ✅
  • separation anxiety ❌
  • stranger anxiety ❌
  • joy on reunion ❌
• Insecure resistant 10%


  behaviour displayed:

  • exploration ❌
  • separation anxiety ✅
  • stranger anxiety ✅
  • joy on reunion 〰️
• CONCLUSION (ainsworth)


  there are significant individual differences between infants, which may be related to the behaviour and responsiveness of the caregiver - suggests that an innate tendency for attachment is affected by life experiences
• Strength (ainsworth)


  Reliable – The strange situation shows very good inter-rater reliability. In other words, different observers watching the same children in the strange situation generally agree on what attachment type to classify them with
• Limitation (ainsworth)


  Culture-bound test– The strange situation was created and tested in the USA, which means it may be culturally biased (ethnocentric), as it will reflect the norms and values of American culture