Ainsworth's Strange Situation (1970) used structured observational research to assess &
measure the quality of attachment
. It has 8 pre-determined stages, including the mother leaving the child, for a short while, to play with available toys in the presence of a stranger & alone and the mother returning to the child.
What is the purpose of the Strange Situation procedure?
As such, it is difficult and time-consuming to assess in homes and unconstrained outdoor settings. The Strange Situation is a semi-structured laboratory procedure that
allows us to identify, without lengthy home observation, infants who effectively use a primary caregiver as a secure base
.
What is the Strange Situation test?
The Strange situation is
a standardized procedure devised by Mary Ainsworth in the 1970s to observe attachment security in children within the context of caregiver relationships
. It applies to infants between the age of nine and 18 months.
What does the Strange Situation illustrate?
The strange situation is a
controlled observation procedure designed to measure the security of attachment a child displays towards a caregiver
. … Exploration and secure base behaviour – good attachment enables the child to feel confident to explore, using their caregiver as a secure base.
Why is the Strange Situation culturally biased?
The Strange Situation was created and tested in the USA, which means that it may be culturally biased (ethnocentric), as
it will reflect the norms and values of American culture
. For example, the belief that attachment is related to anxiety on separation. This may not be the case in other cultures, e.g. Japan.
What are the 4 stages of attachment?
For example, Schaffer and Emerson suggested that attachments develop in four stages:
asocial stage or pre-attachment
(first few weeks), indiscriminate attachment (approximately 6 weeks to 7 months), specific attachment or discriminate attachment (approximately 7-9 months) and multiple attachment (approximately 10 …
Who developed the strange situation?
The
American-Canadian psychologist Mary Ainsworth
(1913-1999) developed the Strange Situation Procedure (SSP) to measure mother-child attachment and attachment theorists have used it ever since. When Ainsworth published the first results of the SSP in 1969, it seemed a completely novel and unique instrument.
What does insecure attachment look like?
Signs of disorganized attachment include:
Depression and anxiety
.
Frequent outbursts and erratic behaviors
(which stems from the inability to clearly see and understand the world around them or properly process the behavior of others or relationships) Poor self-image and self-hatred.
What is disorganized attachment in adults?
Adults with a disorganized attachment style
lack a coherent approach towards relationships
. On the one hand, they want to belong. They want to love and be loved. While on the other hand, they are afraid to let anyone in. They have a strong fear that the people who are closest to them will hurt them.
What is the general research conclusion regarding the Strange Situation?
What was the conclusion of the Strange Situation study?
There appears to be an association between the mother's behaviour and the child's attachment type. Negative points of the Strange Situation.
How did the Strange Situation work?
In this procedure of the Strange Situation the child is observed playing for 21 minutes while caregivers and strangers enter and leave the room, recreating the flow of the familiar and unfamiliar presence in most children's lives. The situation varies in stressfulness and the child's responses are observed.
What is an anxious avoidant attachment?
Anxious-avoidant attachment types (also known as the “fearful or disorganized type”)
bring together the worst of both worlds
. Anxious-avoidants are not only afraid of intimacy and commitment, but they distrust and lash out emotionally at anyone who tries to get close to them.
What is insecure avoidant attachment?
Avoidant, or insecure-avoidant
Avoidant attachment
develops in children who do not experience sensitive responses from a parent or caregiver to their needs or distress
. Children with avoidant attachment may become very independent, both physically and emotionally.
Why is Ainsworth's Strange Situation ethnocentric?
Mary Ainsworth's Strange Situation Research can be seen to be ethnocentric due
to the fact that the research procedure was developed in the United States
and is based on the US views of what is seen as ‘important' in caregiver-infant attachment (is based purely on US values).
What are some examples of cultural bias?
- Linguistic interpretation.
- Ethical concepts of right and wrong.
- Understanding of facts or evidence-based proof.
- Intentional or unintentional ethnic or racial bias.
- Religious beliefs or understanding.
- Sexual attraction and mating.
What is meant by cultural bias?
A cultural bias is
a tendency to interpret a word or action according to culturally derived meaning assigned to it
. Cultural bias derives from cultural variation, discussed later in this chapter.
