Attachment

What are the key studies we have looked at in attachment? Lorenz (1935) Harlow (1959)

When we explain attachment what theories can we use? Infant form attachments with one figure… the mother Classical conditioning Bowlby’s monotropic theory of attachment

We are going to be looking at … In today’s lesson We are going to be looking at … The type of attachments infants form with their mothers

Does everyone form attachments exactly the same? YES Some have good attachments, others have poorer attachments Psychologist Mary Ainsworth conducted research which offered an explanation to the individual differences in attachment No

Ainsworth’s ‘Strange Situation’(1978) The situation; Unfamiliar testing room = ‘strange’ Filled with toys Researchers observed from behind a one way glass looking into this room This allows behaviours of the infant to be observed covertly Unknown to the infant

Strange Situation; Participants 106 infants observed in total All aged between 9 and 18 months All from middle class families Each Strange Situation involved An infant The infants mother A stranger

Strange Situation; Procedure Involved eight episodes, each lasting three minutes

Stage 1 Stage 2 The observer, mother and infant enter the room Observer leaves Mother is passive while infant explores room They both get used to the room before the observation begins Why is this important?

Stage 3 A stranger enters the room, joining the mother and infant The mother leaves the room

Stage 4 The stranger interacts with the infant Stage 5 The mother returns to the room The stranger leaves the room The reunion behaviour of infant and mother is recorded

Stage 6 Stage 7 The stranger returns and attempts to comfort the infant The infant displays separation anxiety The mother then leaves the room The infant is alone The infants behaviour is recorded = separation protest

Stage 8 The mother re-enters the room The stranger leaves the room The reunion behaviour between the infant and mother is recorded

Ainsworth noted attachment styles based on interaction behaviours directed to mother Proximity and contact seeking behaviours (Crying) Contact maintaining behaviours (Cuddling, attention) Proximity and interaction-avoiding behaviours (Not seeking to be close to mother – play by themselves) Contact – and interaction-resisting (Protest against cuddling) Search behaviours (Mother role safe base)

Strange Situation findings Infants explored playroom and toys more when the mother alone was present This suggests; Stranger anxiety Separation anxiety Secure based

Strange Situation findings Reunion behaviours reflected three types of attachment In groups of three using handout 1 and page 120 in Black Mask Person one will take notes on TYPE A Person two = TYPE B Person three = TYPE C You will then go to P121 and take notes on what Ainsworth found with regards to the allocated type

After taking notes on the allocated type, you will explain this type to other members of your group, who will take notes from this

What conclusions can be drawn from Ainsworth Strange Situation? Mothers who are able to correctly interpret infants signals and respond appropriately to infants needs are likely to have securely-attached infants Those mothers who cannot tend to have insecurely-attached infants

Evaluation of the Strange Situation Ainsworth identified the importance of parental sensitivity These results have been backed up by similar studies

Evaluation of the Strange Situation Different observers watched the same children and generally agreed on attachment types (94%) Good inter-rater reliability

Can the study be replicated? YES However, it is an artificial way of assessing attachment Based in a laboratory setting The mother and stranger act according to a script Not like an everyday situation = lacks ecological validity

However, Main & Cassidy (1988) suggests infants do not all fit into the three categories introduced by Ainsworth Attachment types can change – they are not permanent, like Ainsworth suggests Research sample was restricted to around 100 middle class Americans and their infants…. This is unlikely to be representative of the wider population

The procedure was designed by an American based on observations of American children… there lies the issue of cultural bias It could be argued to be Eurocentric (focuses on European culture and excludes wider view of world)

Create a story board of the strange situation Plenary Create a story board of the strange situation