CASE STUDIES

CASE STUDIES

1. The strange situation

   • Ainsworth
     • Children were classified into Securely attached (type B) Insecure –Avoidant (type A) Insecure – Resistant (type C)
     • Aim: Mary Ainsworth devised a technique called the Strange Situation (SS) in order to investigate how attachment types vary between children.
     • Procedure: The SS comprised of 8 episodes. Each lasting 3 miniutes, apart from the first which only lasted 30 secs. Every aspect of pts’ behaviour was observed & recorded. Particular attention was paid to reunion behaviours. The testing room was an unfamiliar enviroment – hence ‘Strange Situation’
       • Procedure: The 8 steps allowed the researchers to assess the following behaviours: Separation from the caregiver (Separation anxiety).Reunion with the caregiver (Reunion behaviour). Response to the stranger (stranger anxiety). If the child used the mother as a secure base to explore the new environment.
         • Procedure: Data was collected using video recordings and a one way mirror. 5 categories were recorded: A) Proximity- and contact seeking behaviours B) Contact maintaining behaviours C) Proximity – and interaction- resisting behaviours D) Contact- and interaction resisting behaviours E) Search behaviours. Every 15 seconds the category of behavior displayed and recorded on a intensity score of 1-7.
     • 4 types of behaviour: 1. The infants willingness to explore. 2.Stranger anxiety 3. Reunion anxiety 4. Separation anxiety
     • Method – She used a controlled observation She assessed 106 middle class American infants and their primary caregivers.

2. Bowlby’s monotropic theory

   • Continuity hypothesis:The view of relationships you develop in early childhood continues into adulthood.
   • Through the monotropic attachment, the infant would form an Internal working model. This is a special mental schema for relationships. All the child’s future adult relationships will be based on this.
   • Babies have to form the attachment with their caregiver during a Critical period. This is between birth and 2½ years old. Bowlby said that if this didn’t happen, the child would be damaged for life – socially, emotionally, intellectually, and physically .
   • Monotropy is a special intense attachment. Bowlby believed that infants form 1 attachment with their mother. If the mother isn’t available, the infant could bond with another ever-present, adult, mother-substitute.
   • The evolutionary perspective The main concept of this theory is that attachments serve an adaptive purpose to survive.
   • Attachments are Adaptive: They give our species an advantage making us more likely to survive because if an infant has an attachment to a caregiver, they are kept safe, given food, and kept warm.
   • Babies have Social releasers, which ‘unlock’ the innate tendency of adults to care for them. These Social releasers are both: Physical – the typical ‘baby face’ features and body proportions and Behavioural – e.g. crying, cooing
   • Evaluation: Continuity hypothesis: Bowbly states one outcome of attachment is subsequent relationships. A study followed pt's from infancy to late adolescence and found continuity between early attachment and later emotional/ social behaviour. Infants classified as securely attached had the highest rates for social competence later in childhood, were less isolated and more popular and more empathetic. Supporting the continuity hypothesis as theres a link between early and later attachments.
   • Evaluation: A sensitive period rather than a critical one: Studies have been carried out on children who fail to form attachments during the critical period between 3-6 months. According to Bowbly its not possible to form attachments past this point.Studies have shown this is true to an extent. Its less likely that attachments will occur but its not impossible.