1. Outline Mary Ainsworth’s ‘Strange Situation’ Study and Discuss How This Has Influenced Our Understanding of the Importance of a Child’s Attachment to the Primary Caregiver. Essay Example
Outline Mary Ainsworth’s ‘strange situation’ study and discuss how this has influenced our understanding of the importance of a child’s attachment to the primary caregiver.
In 1970 Mary Ainsworth expanded greatly upon Bowblys original work and devised an experiment called the Strange situation. The study focused on the behaviour ,in relation to attachment, of infants who were 12-18 months of age when their mother left the purpose built lab play room. The infants were watched through video cameras in the laboratory. The laboratory had two chairs in it and the play area with age appropriate toys. There are eight stages. Stage one: The mother and her baby enter the lab. The mother sits down and reads a magazine while the baby explores. Stage 2: After 3 minutes a stranger enters and briefly speaks to the mother. Stage 3: The stranger leaves the mother and attempts interaction with the infant e.g. play with them. Stage 4: The mother leaves the lab, leaving the infant alone with the stranger. The stranger attemtps to interact with the infant. Stage 5: Three minutes later the stranger exits the lab and the mother returns for three more minutes. Stage 6: The mother yet again leaves the lab very briefly. Stage 7: The stranger again returns and offers comfort and play. Stage 8: The mother returns and the stranger leaves.
Ainsworth closely monitored the infants behaviour in each stage. She also examined the infants' behaviour towards their mother mothers int the strange environment and assessed if the baby used her for a safe base to explore the lab. Ainsworth argued that there were three types of attachment in the infants.
Insecure Avoidant Infants ( Type A attachments) : They didn't direct their behaviour towards their mothers in the same way. They showed slight discomfort when their mother left, but didn't look for comfort when she returned. They kept a distance and tried to avoid clossness. 15% of the babies had Type A attachments.
Secure Infants (Type B
In 1970 Mary Ainsworth expanded greatly upon Bowblys original work and devised an experiment called the Strange situation. The study focused on the behaviour ,in relation to attachment, of infants who were 12-18 months of age when their mother left the purpose built lab play room. The infants were watched through video cameras in the laboratory. The laboratory had two chairs in it and the play area with age appropriate toys. There are eight stages. Stage one: The mother and her baby enter the lab. The mother sits down and reads a magazine while the baby explores. Stage 2: After 3 minutes a stranger enters and briefly speaks to the mother. Stage 3: The stranger leaves the mother and attempts interaction with the infant e.g. play with them. Stage 4: The mother leaves the lab, leaving the infant alone with the stranger. The stranger attemtps to interact with the infant. Stage 5: Three minutes later the stranger exits the lab and the mother returns for three more minutes. Stage 6: The mother yet again leaves the lab very briefly. Stage 7: The stranger again returns and offers comfort and play. Stage 8: The mother returns and the stranger leaves.
Ainsworth closely monitored the infants behaviour in each stage. She also examined the infants' behaviour towards their mother mothers int the strange environment and assessed if the baby used her for a safe base to explore the lab. Ainsworth argued that there were three types of attachment in the infants.
Insecure Avoidant Infants ( Type A attachments) : They didn't direct their behaviour towards their mothers in the same way. They showed slight discomfort when their mother left, but didn't look for comfort when she returned. They kept a distance and tried to avoid clossness. 15% of the babies had Type A attachments.
Secure Infants (Type B