Strange Situation

Strange Situation

1. quality of attachment differs between infants and caregivers

2. differences were explored by Mary Ainsworth - Strange Situation (1970)

3. in the SS, mothers and infants were observed in a range of situations - allowed Ainsworth to see different types of attachment behaviours shown by infants

4. 100 middle-class American infants aged 1-18 months and their mothers were observed in a purpose built laboratory playroom

5. Ainsworth set out a series of predetermined situations which involved the child being with its mother, with a stranger and on its own.

6. procedure involves 8 steps - whole procedure takes about 30 mins

7. 1. mother and infant enter the room, 2. mother and infant left alone & infant plays with the toys, 3. strangers enters and talks with mother, stranger approaches infant with a toy, 4. mother leaves the infant with the stranger, stranger interacts with the infant, 5. mother returns to greet and comfort the infant, 6. infant is left on its own. 7. stranger returns and tries to engage with and comfort the infant, 8. ,pther returns, greets and picks up the infant, stranger leaves.

8. infant's and mother's behaviours were put into 4 categories.

9. 1. separation behaviour - unease the infant shows when the caregiver leaves

10. 2. exploration behaviour - infant's willingness to explore the room

11. 3. stranger anxiety - infant's response to presence of stranger with/without caregiver present

12. 4. reunion behaviour - way the infant greets their mother when she returns

13. infants behaviour fell into 3 main groups

14. secure attachment - type B, 66%, infants use mother as a safe base, be upset when mother leaves, greet mother positively when she returns, be wary of stranger but accept some comfort from them, mothers described as being 'sensitive and responding quickly to their infants needs

15. avoidant-insecure attachment - type A, 22%, infant explore the room but not use mother, show slight distress when mother leaves, show little interest and not seek comfort from mother on her return, reject strangers comfort, mothers described as 'sometimes ignoring their infants'

16. resistant-insecure attachment - type C, 12%, infants show intense distress when mother left, reject mother on her return and appear angry and unable to settle, alternate between seeking closeness and wanting distance from the stranger, mothers described as 'ambivalent towards their child'