Ainsworth

• Mary Ainsworth: 'Strange Situation' 1978

  • American-candian developmental Psychologist
  • expanded on Bowlby's claims
  • introduced terms: separation anxiety and stranger anxiety
• Type A: Insecure Avoidant

  Characteristics of Infants:

  • they do not seek contact with attachment figures when distressed
  • very independent of the attachment figure both physically and emotionally

  During Ainsworth's Study:

  • rarely cried when mother left the room and showed little attention to her upon her return

  Characteristics of Mothers:

  • insensitive caregiver and rejecting of their needs
  • angry or hostile
  • attachment figure may withdraw from helping during difficult tasks and is often unavailable during times of emotional distress
  • 20-22%
• Type B: Secure Attachment

  Characteristics of Infants:

  • use the attachment figure as a safe base to explore the environment and seek the attachment figure in times of distress
  • feel confident that the attachment figure will be available to meet their needs
  • easily soothed when upset, infants develop a secure attachment when the caregiver is sensitive to their signals

  During Ainsworth's Study:

  • distressed when mother leaves the room but happy and comforted by her return

  Characteristics of Mother:

  • loving, responsive, supportive
  • 55-75%
• Type C: Insecure Resistant

  Characteristics of Infants:

  • behaviour results from an inconsistent level of response to their needs from the primary caregiver
  • ambivalent children have negative self image and exaggerate their emotional responses as a way to gain attention

  During Ainsworth's Study:

  • Very distressed when mother leaves the room and not comforted by her returning
  • heightened anxiety before, during and after the test.
  • did not actively explore the room even when mother was present

  Characterisitics of Mother:

  • non-affectionate, unresponsive
  • 7-12%
• aim of the study: to observe attachment security in infants
• The method used in the study:

  Participants:

  • 100, 12-18 month year old children and their mothers

  Materials:

  • a chair and toys for children to play with

  Design:

  • IV- mother and stranger entering and leaving the room
  • DV- observed behaviour of the children
• Procedure:

  1. mother and baby in room with toys and she interacts with the baby while it plays (3 minutes)
  2. . A stranger joins the mother and baby
  3. Mother leaves the room (quietly/discretely) baby is alone with stranger (approximately 3 minutes)
  4. 1st reunion -Mother returns to the room, stranger leaves
  5. Mother stays in the room while the baby plays or requires comfort.
  6. Mother leaves and infant is left alone with the toys (3 minutes unless distressed)
  7. The stranger returns and plays with the baby.
  8. 2nd reunion - Mother returns and stranger leaves.
• Type A: Insecure Avoidant

  Proximity: doesn’t seek proximity with mother

  Exploration: infant is happy to explore, but doesn’t use mother as secure base

  Stranger: shows very little anxiety

  Separation: shows no sign of distress when mother leaves

  Reunion: shows little interest when mother returns and may avoid contact
• Type B: Secure Attachment

  Proximity: happy to seek proximity to mother

  Exploration: happy to explore and also use mother as secure base to explore from

  Stranger: moderate stranger anxiety

  Separation: moderate separation distress

  Reunion: happy and seeks comfort from mother
• Type C: Insecure Resistant

  Proximity: seeks great proximity to the mother

  Exploration: explores very little, doesn’t use mother as a secure base

  Stranger: high levels of stranger anxiety

  Separation: high levels of separation distress

  Reunion: may approach mother, but resists comfort
• Limitations:

  • children were cause a degree of psychological harm due to distress
  • only be valid in Western Europe and USA as was developed in these locations