THE STRANGE SITUATION - AINSWORTH

THE STRANGE SITUATION - AINSWORTH

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  • Created by: Isabelle
  • Created on: 23-05-11 16:16

THE STRANGE SITUATION - AINSWORTH

WHAT WAS AINSWORTH AIM?

WHAT DOES CONTROLLED OBSERVATIOAL METHODOLOGY MEAN?

WHAT WERE THE 8 STAGES OF AINSWORTHS STRANGE SITUATION?

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THE STRANGE SITUATION - AINSWORTH

Look at individual differences in attachment

the envisoment has been controlled and designed - reseach can be replicated

  • Mother and infant enter room, mum sits in chair reading magazine, child placed on floor able to explore
  • (3mins) stranger comes in , sits in chair, talks to mother
  • stanger attempts to interact with child
  • mother leaves room, stranger attempts to comfore child if upset
  • Mother returns and stranger leaves
  • Mother leaves baby is left alone
  • Stranger re enters, comforts and plays with child
  • Mother returns and stranger leaves
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THE STRANGE SITUATION - AINSWORTH

AINSWORTH FINDINGS...

WHAT WERE THE BEHAVIOUR PATTER OF SECURE INFANTS (TYPE B)?

WHAT WERE THE BEHAVIOUR PATTERNS OF INSECURE- AVOIDANT ATTACHMENT (TYPE A)?

WHAT WERE THE BEHAVIOUR PATTERNS OF INSECURE AMBIVILANT ATTACHMENT (TYPE C)?

WHAT IS MEANT BY THE CAREGIVER SENSITIVITY HYPOTHESIS?

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THE STRANGE SITUATION - AINSWORTH

Used mum as safe base / happy to explore / when she left showed distress by crying / wary of stranger / welcomed mother back, instanly comferted (70%)

didn't orintate themselves around mother / showed some distress when she left / rejected strangers attempts to comfort / did not seek comfort from mother when she returned / keep a distance and avoid closeness (15%)

Babies very upset at seperation / when mother returned not easily comforted / angry and jected mothers attempts to comfort / alternate between seeking closeness and wanting distance (15%)

Different attachment type rested on sensitivity of mother - mother who are more sensitve to infants needs are more likely to produce securly attached babies - 0.24 correlation between sensitivit and attachment means theres a weak, positive correlation

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THE STRANGE SITUATION - AINSWORTH

WHAT IS MEANT BY THE TEMPERAMENT HYPOTHESIS?

DO ALL BABIES FIT INTO AINSWORTHS THREE ATTACHMENT TYPES?

IS AINSWORTHS STUDY VALID?

IS IT RELIABLE?

DOES THE STUDY HAVE ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY?

WHAT ARE THE ETHICAL ISSUES?

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THE STRANGE SITUATION - AINSWORTH

Evidence that argues against Ainsowrth caregiver sensitvity hypothesis - attachment type formed by baby may reflect their own basic temperament - easy babies = secure attachment - slow/warm babies = avoidant - difficult babies = ambivilant

Type D attachment was added - Type D = disorganised attachment, baby responds in different way in repeated episodes at different time

Only measures attachment to mother / doesn't consider temperant of child / demand charcteristics

easy to replicate / other studies found similar results

situation similar to what children may experience in real life

unfamiliar enviroment / departure of mother in strange place and interaction with stranger likely to cause stress - experiment would stop if baby to distressed

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