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Ainsworth's Strange Situation, Mother + Baby + Stranger = Stranger…
Ainsworth's Strange Situation
Mother + Baby = Willingness to explore
Secure attachment
- thought as the most desirable attachment type associated with psychologically healthy outcome. 60-75% of British toddlers.
Evaluation
Good inter-rater reliability, different observers generally agree on how to classify the attachment type of the child. 94% in Bick et al study.
May be culture bound (imposed etic). There are cultural differences in childhood experiences therefore children may respond differently. Caregivers from different cultures behave differently.
Takes place under controlled conditions and behavioural categories are easy to observe.
Insecure avoidant
- an attachment type characterised by low anxiety and weak attachment. 20-25% of British toddlers.
The aim of the strange situation was to assess the baby's attachment with their mother. This was done by controlled observation by placing the baby in a range of situations to see how it would react.
Stranger anxiety
- distress shown by an infant when approached by an unfamiliar person.
Separation anxiety
- distress shown by infant when separated from attachment figure.
Takahashi (1990): the strange situation does not apply in Japan as mothers are rarely separated from their children therefore the children displayed high levels of separation anxiety. Also, in the reunion stage, Japanese mothers rushed over and scooped up the child therefore behaviour was more difficult to observe.
Insecure attachment
- develop as a result of the caregiver's lack of sensitive responding to the needs of the infant - poor cognitive and emotional development.
Insecure resistant
- an attachment type characterised by strong attachment and high anxiety. 3% of British toddlers.
Insecure disorganised
- develops from a parent's consistent failure to respond appropriately to their child's distress.
It has also been suggested that the strange situation is just measuring the temperament of the child instead of attachment type which affects the face validity of the procedure (Kagan, 1982).
Mother + Baby + Stranger = Stranger anxiety
Baby + Stranger = Separation anxiety
Mother + Baby + Stranger = Reunion behaviour
Mother + Baby = Exploration behaviour
Baby = Separation anxiety
Baby + Stranger = Stranger anxiety
Mother + Baby + Stranger = Reunion behaviour