weaknesses/criticisms

• studies challenging SS' internal validity

  -procedure may not be measuring what supported to

  -SS may not be testing attachment type

  -infants behaviour may reflect the temperament hypothesis > behaviour due to innate personality characteristics

  > infant more vulnerable to stress

  -SS reflects previous experiences with separation

  > supported by Japanese babies appearing more resistant as rarely separated from mothers
• demand characteristics > reduce internal validity 


  -mother aware she's being observed

  -knows study aim

  -think she supposed to interact with baby and do so more than normal

  -social desirability bias

  > wants to appear as a good mother
• lacking population validity 


  -middle class infants

  > can't generalise to other social class infants

  -ethnocentric

  > findings can't generalise to other cultures
• designed for assessing American infants / imposed etic

  -may not be valid for assessing attachment in other cultures > imposed etic approach

  -different cultures have different norms

  -procedure may not translate across cultures

  -danger that USA is considered 'normal'

  -lacks cross-cultural validity
• ethical issues

  -no protection from psychological harm

  -some babies seen to get upset

  -upsetting mothers

  -mothers may feel uncomfortable/embarrassed if child is rated insecure