The Strange Situation – Ainsworth
Procedure
- Controlled observation procedure designed to measure the security of attachment a
baby displays towards a caregiver. It takes place in a room with controlled conditions
and a two-way mirror to observe the baby’s behaviour.
Methodology
- 100 middle class American infants (12-18 months) and their mothers
- Measured the quality of the infant’s attachment
- Involves several stages designed to gradually increase the level of stress the infant
experiences
Set of 7 predetermined stages lasting 3 mins each:
Beginning: Caregiver and baby enter an unfamiliar playroom
1. Baby is encouraged to explore – test exploration and secure base.
2. a stranger comes in, talks to caregiver and approaches the baby – tests stranger
anxiety
3. the caregiver leaves the baby and stranger together – tests separation and stranger
anxiety
4. caregiver returns and stranger leaves – tests reunion behaviour and
exploration/secure base
5. the caregiver leaves the baby alone – tests separation anxiety
6. stranger returns – tests stranger anxiety
7. caregiver returns and is reunited with the baby – tests reunion behaviour
caregiver sensitivity hypothesis – differences in infants attachment styles are dependent on
the mother’s behaviour during a critical period of development
findings – 3 main types of attachment
secure attachment – (type B) these babies explore happily but regularly go back to
their caregiver. They usually show moderate separation distress and moderate
stranger anxiety. Securely attached babies require and accept comfort from the
caregiver in the reunion stage (60 – 75%) of baby's
insecure avoidant attachment – (type A) these baby's’ explore freely but do not seek
proximity or show secure base behaviour. They show little or no reaction when their
caregiver leaves and little stranger anxiety. They make little effort to make contact
when the caregiver returns and may even avoid such contact (20 – 25%) of babies
insecure resistant attachment – (type C) these babies seek greater proximity than
others and so explore less. They show high levels of stranger and separation distress
but they resist comfort when reunited with their caregiver (3%) of babies
EVALUATION
Procedure
- Controlled observation procedure designed to measure the security of attachment a
baby displays towards a caregiver. It takes place in a room with controlled conditions
and a two-way mirror to observe the baby’s behaviour.
Methodology
- 100 middle class American infants (12-18 months) and their mothers
- Measured the quality of the infant’s attachment
- Involves several stages designed to gradually increase the level of stress the infant
experiences
Set of 7 predetermined stages lasting 3 mins each:
Beginning: Caregiver and baby enter an unfamiliar playroom
1. Baby is encouraged to explore – test exploration and secure base.
2. a stranger comes in, talks to caregiver and approaches the baby – tests stranger
anxiety
3. the caregiver leaves the baby and stranger together – tests separation and stranger
anxiety
4. caregiver returns and stranger leaves – tests reunion behaviour and
exploration/secure base
5. the caregiver leaves the baby alone – tests separation anxiety
6. stranger returns – tests stranger anxiety
7. caregiver returns and is reunited with the baby – tests reunion behaviour
caregiver sensitivity hypothesis – differences in infants attachment styles are dependent on
the mother’s behaviour during a critical period of development
findings – 3 main types of attachment
secure attachment – (type B) these babies explore happily but regularly go back to
their caregiver. They usually show moderate separation distress and moderate
stranger anxiety. Securely attached babies require and accept comfort from the
caregiver in the reunion stage (60 – 75%) of baby's
insecure avoidant attachment – (type A) these baby's’ explore freely but do not seek
proximity or show secure base behaviour. They show little or no reaction when their
caregiver leaves and little stranger anxiety. They make little effort to make contact
when the caregiver returns and may even avoid such contact (20 – 25%) of babies
insecure resistant attachment – (type C) these babies seek greater proximity than
others and so explore less. They show high levels of stranger and separation distress
but they resist comfort when reunited with their caregiver (3%) of babies
EVALUATION
