Types of attachment

Ainsworth and Bell (1970) strange situation - to produce a method of assessing the quality of attachment

Method: controlled observations of 100 middle class american infants and their mothers in a set of predetermined activities. recorded infants and mothers bahaviour especially noting the folowing : Separation anxiety, Exploration, stranger anxiety and reunion behaviour .

episodes of strange situation :1. parent and infant play 2.parent sits while infant plays (3 mins) 3.stranger enters and talks to parent (3 mins) 4.parent leaves, infant plays, starnger offers comfort if needed (3 mins) 5.parent returns, greets infant, offerss comfort if needed;stranger leaves (3 mins) 6.parent leaves, infant alone (3 mins) 7.Starnger enters and offers comfort (3 mins) 8. parent returns, greets infant, offers comfort (3 mins)

Findings Type B: -securely attached (66%) ___explored the room, subdued when mum left, postive greeting on her return, moderate avoidance…