Mary Ainsworth et al (1978)

Mary Ainsworth et al (1978)

1. Carried out extensive research into attachment using interviews and naturalistic observations

2. AIM

   • To produce a method for assessing the quality of attachment, by placing an infant in a situation of mild stress (to encourage the infant to seek comfort) and of novelty (to encourage exploration) Both the comfort seeking and exploration indicates the quality of attachment

3. Procedures

   • 8 step procedure which took place in an unfamiliar room to the infants
     • The procedure is know as the Strange Situation
       • 1) Mother and child are introduced to the room
         • 2) Mother and child are left alone and the child can investigate the toys
           • 3) A stranger enters the room and talks with the mother. The stranger gradually approaches the infant with a toy
             • 4) Mother leaves the child alone with the stranger
               • 5) Mother returns to greet and comfort the child
                 • 6) The child is left on its own
                   • 7) The stranger returns and tries to engage with the child
                     • 8) Mother returns, greets and picks up the child. The stranger leaves.
   • Each step, except the first one, took three minutes
   • Behavioural categories were used. This means it was a structured observations
   • Observers focused on these behaviours
     • Separation anxiety
       • the distress an infant shows when parted from an attachment figures
     • The infants willingness to explore
     • Reunion behaviour
       • the way the caregiver is greeted on return

4. Research methods

   • Controlled observation
     • In total 106 infants were observed with their mothers

5. FINDINGS

   • led to Ainsworth to classify three attachment types
     • Securely Attached infants
       • Generally happy to explore the unfamiliar room if their mother was present
       • Showed moderate distress when their mother left
       • Greeted her positively when she returened
       • Showed moderate avoidance of the stranger when the mother wasn't present
       • Mothers described as sensitive
       • 70% securely attached
     • Insecure Avoidant
       • Did not orientate to their mother while investigating the toys and room
       • Did not seem concerned by her absence
       • Showed very little interest when she returned
       • Were also not very interested in the stranger
       • The mothers sometimes ignored the infant
       • 15% insecure avoidant
     • Insecure Resistant
       • Showed intense distress, particular;y when their mother was absent
       • Sought contact with her when she returned but simultaneously rejected her and resisted contact
       • Showed this sort of ambivalent behavious towards the stranger as well
       • the mothers appeared to behave ambivalently towards their infant
       • 15% insecure resistant

6. CONCLUSION

   • There are significant differences between infants in the quality of attachment. These differences can be classified into three attachment types
   • Not representative as it was conducted on American Children
   • Association between mothers behaviour and infants attachment type. Attachment depends on the warm loving responsiveness of the caregiver and Ainsworth called this the Caregiver Sensitivity Hypothesis

7. Evaluation

   • Strengths
     • support care giver hypothesis
     • Reliability
       • Can be reproduced and found that secure attachment was the most frequent type
     • Developed useful methodology
       • first method of classification of attachment type and now widely used method for assessing attachment to a caregiver. important for assessing later behaviour
   • Limitations
     • This study was in a first world singular country and this would mean is isn't valid for every country, ecological validity
     • Not like real life conducted in 8 foot room so in a comprising environment
     • Unethical putting under stress
     • Incomplete classification, some elements unfamiliar to some cultures like being left with strangers