Strange Situation evaluation

Strange Situation evaluation

1. Low internal validity

   • Does it only measure the quality of 1 relationship rather than attachment type of a child overall?
   • Main and Weston found children behave differently depending on which parent they were with
   • Relationship rather than characteristic inbilt within child.
   • HOWEVER - Bowlby said that their attachment type is largely linked to their monotropical figure

2. Observation = high reliability

   • Inter - observer reliability helps to confirm something as meaningful.
   • Ainsworth found almost perfect agreement - they found .94 (1.00 = perfect)
   • Observations can be considered reliable

3. Other types of attachment

   • Ainsworth overlooked a 4th type
   • Main and Solomon reviewed 200 tape of SS and found 'insecure - disorganised' type D. Characterised by lack of consistent social patterns
   • Lack a coherent strategy of dealing with separation stress