The Strange Situation | Mary Ainsworth, 1969 | Developmental Psychology

Summary

In 1969, psychologist Mary Ainsworth introduced the 'Strange Situation,' a pioneering method for studying infant attachment. This observational procedure assesses how infants respond to separation and reunion with their mothers in a controlled environment. Ainsworth identified three primary attachment styles: secure, ambivalent, and avoidant, each reflecting different behaviors in response to their mothers' presence and absence. Ainsworth's caregiver sensitivity hypothesis suggests that these attachment styles are influenced by maternal behavior during critical developmental periods. The Strange Situation remains a fundamental study in understanding the dynamics of early emotional bonds and attachment theory.

Takeaways

• 👶 Ainsworth's Strange Situation is a procedure developed in 1969 to study attachment in infants.
• 🔍 The study focuses on the attachment styles of infants aged 1 to 2 years through behavioral observations.
• 🕒 The Strange Situation consists of 8 stages, each lasting about 3 minutes, involving the mother, baby, researcher, and a stranger.
• 🚪 The experiment begins with all participants in a neutral room filled with toys for the baby to explore.
• 😨 Researchers measure the infant's responses to separation from the mother, including signs of separation anxiety.
• ❤️ Infants are categorized into three primary attachment styles based on their behaviors during the study.
• 🔒 About 70% of children exhibited secure attachment, showing distress when separated but being friendly when the mother was present.
• 😟 Approximately 15% of children showed ambivalent attachment, displaying significant distress and fear of the stranger.
• 🙈 Another 15% had avoidant attachment, showing little interest in the mother or the stranger during separations.
• 📉 Ainsworth's caregiver sensitivity hypothesis suggests that attachment styles are influenced by the mother's behavior during crucial developmental periods.

Q & A

What is the Strange Situation procedure developed by Mary Ainsworth?

The Strange Situation is a developmental psychology procedure designed to study attachment in infants, where researchers observe infants' behavioral responses in a controlled environment through a series of stages.

How long does the Strange Situation procedure typically last?

The Strange Situation lasts approximately 20 minutes and consists of eight stages, each lasting around three minutes.

What are the main observations made during the Strange Situation?

Researchers observe the infant's behavior for signs of separation anxiety, exploratory behavior, and responses to the mother and the stranger at different stages.

What are the three main attachment types identified by Ainsworth?

Ainsworth identified three main attachment types: securely attached, ambivalently attached, and avoidantly attached infants.

What characterizes securely attached infants in the Strange Situation?

Securely attached infants show distress when separated from their mother, avoid the stranger when alone, are friendly in their mother's presence, and are happy upon reunion with her.

What is the behavior of ambivalently attached infants during the procedure?

Ambivalently attached infants display intense distress when separated from their mother, fear of the stranger, and may approach their mother but reject contact upon her return.

How do avoidantly attached infants behave in the Strange Situation?

Avoidantly attached infants show little interest when their mother leaves, play happily with the stranger, and do not seem to notice when their mother returns.

What additional attachment style was later defined by Maine and Solomon?

Maine and Solomon identified a fourth attachment style called disorganized, characterized by inconsistent behaviors in infants during the Strange Situation.

What does Ainsworth's caregiver sensitivity hypothesis suggest?

The caregiver sensitivity hypothesis posits that differences in infants' attachment styles are influenced by the mother's behavior towards the baby during a critical developmental period.

Why is the Strange Situation significant in developmental psychology?

The Strange Situation is significant as it provides insight into the nature of early attachments, their classifications, and their implications for future emotional and social development.