Which Of The Following Is A Criticism Of The Strange Situation Method?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Which of the following is a criticism of the Strange Situation method developed by Ainsworth to measure attachment? It fails to account for important cultural features that are necessary for accurately understanding the meanings of attachment behaviors.

What is one of the main criticisms of the Strange Situation?

One criticism of the Strange Situation procedure is that it has focused almost exclusively on the mother-infant bond . In part, this may reflect a cultural bias. Many people who study attachment come from industrialized societies where mothers usually bear most of the responsibility for childcare.

What are 2 criticisms of the the Strange Situation research?

They found that 70% of the children showed secure attachment , 15% insecure-avoidant and 8% insecure-resistant. The biggest flaw of Ainsworth’s strange situation is the fact that it may not measure the attachment type of the infant but rather the quality of the relationship between the infant and caregiver.

Which of the following are criticisms of attachment theory?

One of the main critics of Bowlby’s attachment theory is J. R. Harris (1998) believes that parents do not shape their child’s personality or character . A child’s peers have more influence on them than their parents. For example, take children whose parents were immigrants.

What is the Strange Situation used for?

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 are the 4 types of attachment?

Bowlby identified four types of attachment styles: secure, anxious-ambivalent, disorganised and avoidant .

What is the strange situation procedure?

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.

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 type of experiment is the strange situation?

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 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 are the four characteristics of Bowlby’s attachment theory?

There are four basic characteristics that basically give us a clear view of what attachment really is. They include a safe heaven, a secure base, proximity maintenance and separation distress . These four attributes are very evident in the relationship between a child and his caregiver.

What is wrong with attachment theory?

A serious limitation of attachment theory is its failure to recognize the profound influences of social class, gender, ethnicity, and culture on personality development . These factors, independent of a mother’s sensitivity, can be as significant as the quality of the early attachment.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of attachment theory?

The strength of attachment theory is that it is used for therapy in our health care and to those children who are born in prison. The weakness is that it is lacks scientific rigor so it can not be tested .

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 some effects of depriving attachment?

Children with poor attachments tend to display poor socioemotional affects, such as, poor social, coping, and problem solving skills, tantrums, clingy, withdrawn, or aggressive behaviors , etc. These negative effects, often impacts the child throughout their developmental years.

What are the 3 types of attachment?

Based on these observations, Ainsworth concluded that there were three major styles of attachment: secure attachment, ambivalent-insecure attachment, and avoidant-insecure attachment . Researchers Main and Solomon added a fourth attachment style known as disorganized-insecure attachment.

Leah Jackson
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Leah Jackson
Leah is a relationship coach with over 10 years of experience working with couples and individuals to improve their relationships. She holds a degree in psychology and has trained with leading relationship experts such as John Gottman and Esther Perel. Leah is passionate about helping people build strong, healthy relationships and providing practical advice to overcome common relationship challenges.