The Strange Situation

The Strange Situation

1. Mary Ainsworth carried out the 'Strange Situation' to test the nature of attachment. The aim was to see how infants (between 9-18 months) behave under conditions of mild stress and also novelty.

2. Stress is created by the presence of a stranger and also separation from caregiver. This tests stranger anxiety and separation anxiety. The strange situation also aims to encourage exploration by placing infants in a novel situation to test the secure base concept.

3. The research room is a novel environment. The procedure consists of 8 episodes: 1.Parent and infant play 2. Parent sits whilst infant plays; use of parent as a secure base 3. Stranger enters and talks to parent; stranger anxiety 4. Parent leaves, infant plays, stranger offers comfort if needed; separation anxiety 5. Parent returns, greets infant, offers comfort if needed, stranger leaves; reunion behaviour 6. Parent leaves, infant alone; separation anxiety 7. Stranger enters and offers comfort; stranger anxiety 8. Parent returns, greets infant, offers comfort; reunion behaviour

4. Ainsworth et al combined the data from several studies, to make a total of 106 middle-class infants observed in the strange situation. There were similarities and differences in the ways that infants behaved. Similarities- exploratory behaviour declined after episode 2 and onwards; the amount of crying increased. Proximity seeking and contact maintaining behaviours intensified during separation and when the stranger appeared. Differences- 3 main types of children; Secure attachment; Insecure avoidant; Insecure Resistant.

5. Disorganised attachment- it is characterised by its lack of consistent patterns of social behaviour. Such infants lack a coherent strategy for dealing with the stress of separation. They show very strong attachment behaviour which is followed by avoidance or looking fearful towards their caregiver or displaying odd movements such as stumbling, but only when the caregiver is present.

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