Ainsworth's Strange Situation

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  • Created by: KayshaN
  • Created on: 26-03-17 16:42
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  • Ainsworth's Strange Situation
    • Variables being tested:
      • Proximity seeking- infant with good attach stay fairly closely
      • Exploration and secure-base behaviour- good attach confident to explore
      • Stranger anxiety
      • Separation anxiety
      • Response to reunion
    • Procedure
      • 1)child and caregiver enter unfamiliar playroom and child allowed to explore. (tests E&SB)
      • 2) Stranger enters and tries to interact with child.(tests stranger anxiety)
      • 3)Caregiver leaves child and stranger together. (tests for separation and stranger anxiety)
      • 4) The caregiver returns and stranger leaves- tests reunion behaviour and exploration/secure base.
      • 5) the caregiver leaves the child alone- tests separation anxiety
      • 6) the stranger returns- tests stranger anxiety
      • 7) the caregiver returns and is reunited with the child- tests reunion behaviour
    • Findings
      • Secure
        • explore happily but reg go back to caregiver
        • moderate separation and stranger anxiety
        • require & accept comfort from caregiver at reunion stage
        • 60-75% of British children
      • Insecure avoidant
        • explore freely but don't seek proximity or show secure base behaviour
        • little/no separation and stranger anxiety
        • little effort to make contact when caregiver returns
        • Don't require comfort at reunion
        • 20-25%
      • Insecure resistant
        • seek greater proximity than others & explore less
        • huge stranger and separation anxiety
        • but resist comfort on reunion
        • 3%
    • Evaluation
      • good reliability: very good inter-rater reliability, diff observers come to same conclusion of what type a child is. Bc controlled conditions, easy to observe. 94% agreement.
      • support for validity: strongly predictive of later relationships, secure go on to have successful relationships. Insecure-resistant associated with worst later realtionships
      • test may be culture bound: test doesn't have same meaning outside Western cultures. 1) cultural diff childhood. 2) diff in caregiver behave.
      • what does it actually measure: the anxiety levels of being in unfamiliar situation, main inf of attachment may be anxiety. Temperament confounding variable.
      • At least one more attachment type: minority display atypical attachments that don't fall into types. Known as disorganized attachment, display odd mix of resistant and avoidant.

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