Describe and evaluate Ainsworth strange situation (16 marks).
Ainsworth devised a controlled observation called the Strange Situation to assess the quality
of a child’s attachment to a caregiver. The strange situation involved placing a child and the
mother in a novel environment of mild stress, which involved a controlled observation
procedure with a two-way mirror through which psychologists can observe an infant
behaviour. There were 7 episodes each lasting 3 minutes.
First episode was child is encouraged to explore. Second, stranger enter talk to caregiver
and approaches child. Third, caregiver leaves baby alone with stranger. Fourth, caregiver
returns, stranger leaves. Fifth, caregiver leaves child alone. Sixth, stranger returns
play/comfort child. Seventh, stranger leaves and child is reunited with caregiver.
The purpose of strange situation is to measure 4 key behaviours including: exploration
behaviour- how the child explores the environment and whether they use the mother as a
safe base. Separation anxiety – how the child responds when mother leaves room. Stranger
anxiety – how child responds in presence of stranger and reunion behaviours- how child acts
when reunited with their mother.
Depending on how the child responds to strange situation would lead to one of three
attachments. Secure attachment, (60-75%) children explore happily but seeks proximity with
caregiver and show moderate separation and stranger anxiety and accept comfort from
caregiver on reunion. Insecure avoidant, (20-25%)child explores freely not seek proximity
and show little/no stranger and separation anxiety and does not require comfort at reunion
stage. Insecure resistant (3%)child explores less, seek greater proximity and show
considerable amount of stranger and separation anxiety and resist comfort at reunion with
caregiver.
A strength of the Strange situation is that it has inter-rater reliability. For example, Bick et al
measured inter-rater reliability in a group of trained 55 observers. They found that there
was a 94% agreement for attachment type on tested babies. This is a strength of the strange
situation as it takes place in a controlled and the behavioural categories are clearly defined.
Therefore, this means we can be confident that the attachment type of an infant observed
does not depend on who is observing them, and findings are considered more meaningful.
A limitation of Ainsworth study that there may be more attachment types. For example,
Main and Solomon conducted research whereby they analysed several hundred Strange
situation episodes via videotape and suggested that Ainsworth overlooked a fourth type. It
was noted that some infants showed inconsistent patterns of behaviour which they termed
Type D- insecure disorganised. This was further support by Ijzendoorn et al which found that
15% of infants were in fact, classified as Type D, suggesting that Ainsworths original
assessment of attachment is unable to fully explain all of the different types of attachment
in children.
A limitation of the strange situation is that it culturally bias. This is because the strange
situation was developed by Ainsworth who was American and therefore her theory and
methods were based on Western Ideals in relation to infant behaviour. For example, she
Ainsworth devised a controlled observation called the Strange Situation to assess the quality
of a child’s attachment to a caregiver. The strange situation involved placing a child and the
mother in a novel environment of mild stress, which involved a controlled observation
procedure with a two-way mirror through which psychologists can observe an infant
behaviour. There were 7 episodes each lasting 3 minutes.
First episode was child is encouraged to explore. Second, stranger enter talk to caregiver
and approaches child. Third, caregiver leaves baby alone with stranger. Fourth, caregiver
returns, stranger leaves. Fifth, caregiver leaves child alone. Sixth, stranger returns
play/comfort child. Seventh, stranger leaves and child is reunited with caregiver.
The purpose of strange situation is to measure 4 key behaviours including: exploration
behaviour- how the child explores the environment and whether they use the mother as a
safe base. Separation anxiety – how the child responds when mother leaves room. Stranger
anxiety – how child responds in presence of stranger and reunion behaviours- how child acts
when reunited with their mother.
Depending on how the child responds to strange situation would lead to one of three
attachments. Secure attachment, (60-75%) children explore happily but seeks proximity with
caregiver and show moderate separation and stranger anxiety and accept comfort from
caregiver on reunion. Insecure avoidant, (20-25%)child explores freely not seek proximity
and show little/no stranger and separation anxiety and does not require comfort at reunion
stage. Insecure resistant (3%)child explores less, seek greater proximity and show
considerable amount of stranger and separation anxiety and resist comfort at reunion with
caregiver.
A strength of the Strange situation is that it has inter-rater reliability. For example, Bick et al
measured inter-rater reliability in a group of trained 55 observers. They found that there
was a 94% agreement for attachment type on tested babies. This is a strength of the strange
situation as it takes place in a controlled and the behavioural categories are clearly defined.
Therefore, this means we can be confident that the attachment type of an infant observed
does not depend on who is observing them, and findings are considered more meaningful.
A limitation of Ainsworth study that there may be more attachment types. For example,
Main and Solomon conducted research whereby they analysed several hundred Strange
situation episodes via videotape and suggested that Ainsworth overlooked a fourth type. It
was noted that some infants showed inconsistent patterns of behaviour which they termed
Type D- insecure disorganised. This was further support by Ijzendoorn et al which found that
15% of infants were in fact, classified as Type D, suggesting that Ainsworths original
assessment of attachment is unable to fully explain all of the different types of attachment
in children.
A limitation of the strange situation is that it culturally bias. This is because the strange
situation was developed by Ainsworth who was American and therefore her theory and
methods were based on Western Ideals in relation to infant behaviour. For example, she
