Ainsworth’s strange situation:Types of attachment -A-Level Psychology
Insecure-avoidant-A type of attachment which describes children who tend to avoid social interaction and intimacy with others
Insecure-resistant- a type of attachment which describes infants who both seek and reject intimacy and social interaction
Secure attachment- This is a strong attachment of an infant to his or her caregiver.It is a result of the sensitive response given by the caregiver to the infant’s needs.These infants are comfortable social interaction.It is related to healthy subsequent cognitive and emotional development.
Strange situation- a controlled observation designed to test attachment security
Key study:The Strange Situation
-Ainsworth et al (1971,1978) wanted to test the nature of attachment
Aim-To see how infants aged between 9 and 18 months behaved under conditions of mild stress and also novelty
Procedure:
-The research room was a 9×9 foot space marked into 16 squares to help record the infant’s movements.
-Their were 8 episodes,each of which highlighted certain behaviours.
-They key feature of these episodes was that the caregiver and stranger alternately stay with the infant or leave.
-Observations of the infant’s response to the following was made:
-separation anxiety
-reunion behaviour
-stranger anxiety
-the novel environment(which aimed to encourage exploration and test the secure base concept)
-Data was collected by observers using a video recorder or a one way mirror.They recorded what the child was doing every 15 seconds using behavior categories and scoring the intensity on a scale of 1-7.
Findings:
-Ainsworth combines several of her studies,in total 106-middle class infants were observed.Similarities and differences between the infants’ behaviour were noted.
-One similarity found was that exploratory behaviours declined in all infants from episode 2 onwards,whereas the amount of crying increased.
-From the differences,Ainsworth established 3 main patterns of behaviour the infants displayed
Insecure avoidant(type A)-refer to children who tend to avoid social interaction and intimacy with others.In the study,these types of children show little response to separation and don’t seek close proximity with their caregiver on reunion.Such children are happy to explore on their own.They are characterised by high levels of anxiousness.
Secure attachment(type B)-refers to those who have harmonious and cooperative interactions with their care giver.They are not likely to cry when the caregiver leaves the room.They show some distress when left with a stranger.If they are feeling anxious,they seek close bodily contact with their caregiver and can be calmed down quickly.They seek and are comfortable with social interaction and intimacy.The securely attached infant uses the caregiver as a secure base from which to explore and function independently.
Insecure resistant(type C)-refers to infants who both seek and reject intimacy and social interaction.When separated from their caregiver they show immediate and intense distress,this response is similar towards strangers.On reunion,they display conflicting desires for and against contact.
Evaluation:
Other types of attachment-Further research has found that Ainsworth et al’s analysis overlooked a 4th type of attachment called insecure-disorganised(type D),which is characterised by a lack of consistent patterns of social behaviour.Such infants lack a coherent strategy for dealing with the stress of separation.
Observations had high reliability-the findings were discussed with observers until they came to an agreement( inter-observer reliability).Ainsworth et al found .94 agreement between raters when rating exploratory behaviour.
Real world application-Ainsworth’s findings led to intervention strategies to be developed e.g The circle of security project which taught caregivers to better understand their infants signals of distress. This increased the amount of children classified as securely attached.This supports research on attachment types because such research can be used to improve children’s lives which is a strength.
Low internal validity-some children behaved differently depending on which parent they were with. This suggests that the classification of an attachment type may not be valid because what was measured is one relationship rather than a personal characteristic lodged in the individual.
Ainsworth’s Strange Situation experiment is a laboratory procedure designed to assess infant attachment to their caregiver. It involves a series of staged interactions between a child and their caregiver in an unfamiliar environment.
Ainsworth’s Strange Situation experiment is important because it has led to a greater understanding of attachment styles and their impact on human behavior. It has also helped researchers to identify the different types of attachment that infants may form with their caregiver.
The four types of attachment explored in Ainsworth’s Strange Situation experiment are secure attachment, insecure-avoidant attachment, insecure-resistant attachment, and disorganized attachment.
Secure attachment is when an infant is comfortable exploring their environment, using their caregiver as a secure base to return to. They may show distress when separated from their caregiver but can be easily comforted when reunited.
Insecure-avoidant attachment is when an infant shows little to no distress when separated from their caregiver and avoids contact upon reunion. They may appear indifferent to the caregiver’s presence and may have developed self-soothing strategies.
Insecure-resistant attachment is when an infant is highly distressed when separated from their caregiver and has difficulty being comforted upon reunion. They may cling to the caregiver but also show ambivalence towards their comfort.
Disorganized attachment is when an infant shows a lack of a consistent pattern of attachment behavior, sometimes appearing fearful of the caregiver and showing disorganized and confused behavior.
Attachment styles can impact human behavior in a variety of ways. For example, individuals with secure attachment styles tend to have positive relationships with others, while those with insecure attachment styles may struggle with trust, intimacy, and social relationships.
Yes, attachment styles can change over time, especially with the help of therapy or supportive relationships. However, attachment styles tend to be relatively stable over time, with early attachment experiences having a lasting impact on later relationships.
A-Level Psychology students can apply their knowledge of Ainsworth’s Strange Situation experiment in real life by understanding how attachment styles impact human behavior in various relationships, such as parent-child, romantic, and peer relationships. This knowledge can also be applied in fields such as education, counseling, and social work.
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