ainsworth's strange situation
babies can be categorised into three categories - resistant, avoidance and
secure
before ainsworth, there was no uniform way of measuring attachment
the introduction of the strange situation lead to the accepted observational
testing method for measuring attachment types
unlike bowlby, ainsworth noted variations in attachment equality, with a focus on
the security of the infant attached
she identified two features of attachment:
1. infants seek proximity to their mothers (especially when threatened)
2. secure attachments allow infants to explore using their attached figure
(mother) as a safe base to explore from (this aids social and cognitive
development)
strange situation
covert lab observation
structured observation - specific behaviours were graded with a points system
100 middle class american families (baltimore)
babies were aged 12-18 months
ainsworth's strange situation 1
, behaviour of baby was observed in a series of 8 episodes:
1. baby, mother and experimenter (less than 1 minute)
2. mother and baby alone
3. mother baby and stranger
4. baby and stranger alone
5. mother returns, stranger leaves (mother and baby alone)
6. mother leaves (infant alone)
7. stranger returns (infant and stranger)
8. mother returns and stranger leaves
secure attached baby
mother and baby (mother playing with baby) → stranger introduced (stranger
anxiety) → mother leaves room (separation distress) → mother back into room
(pleasure on reuniting)→ stranger leaves → mother leaves → stranger comes back
(can't comfort baby)
insecure avoidant baby
mother and baby (baby playing alone) → stranger introduced (no stranger anxiety -
baby plays with stranger) → mother leaves room (no separation distress) → mother
back into room (doesn't notice mother)→ stranger leaves → mother leaves →
stranger comes back (baby is fine - even plays with stranger)
behaviours ainsworth used to judge quality of
attachment
ainsworth operationalised the following behaviour categories:
proximity and contact seeking
well-attached infants should stay relatively close to their caregiver and should
seek proximity upon reunion
exploration and secure base behaviour
ainsworth's strange situation 2
babies can be categorised into three categories - resistant, avoidance and
secure
before ainsworth, there was no uniform way of measuring attachment
the introduction of the strange situation lead to the accepted observational
testing method for measuring attachment types
unlike bowlby, ainsworth noted variations in attachment equality, with a focus on
the security of the infant attached
she identified two features of attachment:
1. infants seek proximity to their mothers (especially when threatened)
2. secure attachments allow infants to explore using their attached figure
(mother) as a safe base to explore from (this aids social and cognitive
development)
strange situation
covert lab observation
structured observation - specific behaviours were graded with a points system
100 middle class american families (baltimore)
babies were aged 12-18 months
ainsworth's strange situation 1
, behaviour of baby was observed in a series of 8 episodes:
1. baby, mother and experimenter (less than 1 minute)
2. mother and baby alone
3. mother baby and stranger
4. baby and stranger alone
5. mother returns, stranger leaves (mother and baby alone)
6. mother leaves (infant alone)
7. stranger returns (infant and stranger)
8. mother returns and stranger leaves
secure attached baby
mother and baby (mother playing with baby) → stranger introduced (stranger
anxiety) → mother leaves room (separation distress) → mother back into room
(pleasure on reuniting)→ stranger leaves → mother leaves → stranger comes back
(can't comfort baby)
insecure avoidant baby
mother and baby (baby playing alone) → stranger introduced (no stranger anxiety -
baby plays with stranger) → mother leaves room (no separation distress) → mother
back into room (doesn't notice mother)→ stranger leaves → mother leaves →
stranger comes back (baby is fine - even plays with stranger)
behaviours ainsworth used to judge quality of
attachment
ainsworth operationalised the following behaviour categories:
proximity and contact seeking
well-attached infants should stay relatively close to their caregiver and should
seek proximity upon reunion
exploration and secure base behaviour
ainsworth's strange situation 2
