Analysis of Ainsworth´s Strange Situation

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Recommended: Bowlbys attachment theory strengths and limitations

Ainsworth’s study “Strange Situation” showed that bonding between mother and infant has an effect on the infant’s behavior and development. How mother’s respond to their infant’s signals is major in the development of mother and infant relationships. Ainsworth study investigated how attachments might vary between children, the nature of attachment behaviors and styles of attachment. Ainsworth theory was to help prove validity to Bowlby’s attachment theory that infants who experienced a secure attachment “is likely to see attachment figures responsive, and helpful”. Ainsworth (1970) used experimental procedures in order to observe the variety of attachment forms exhibited between mothers and infants. Ainsworth used a sample of 100 middle class families who had infants 12 to 18 months. The infants were exposed to three minute scenarios: parent and infant alone, stranger joins parent and infant, parent leaves infant and stranger alone, parent returns and stranger leaves, parent leaves infant alone, stranger returns, parent returns and stranger leaves. Ainsworth used behavior patterns of the infants during the three minute scenarios in the strange situation as a way to assess her attachment theory. The outcome of the study were three major styles of attachment: Secure Attachment: A child who is securely attached explores while the parent is in the room, also engages with strangers, when parent leaves the child becomes upset and becomes happy when the parent returns. Anxious-Ambivalent Insecure Attachment: A child who is anxious-resistant is nervous about exploring and interacting with strangers, even if the parent is present. When the caregiver leaves, the child is very upset. The child becomes hesitant... ... middle of paper ... ...ng skills. Works Cited Ainsworth, M. D. S., & Bell, S. M. Attachment, exploration, and separation: illustrated by the behavior of one-year-olds in a strange situation. Child Development, in press. Honig, A. (2002). Secure Relationships: Nurturing Infant/Toddler Attachment in Early Care Settings. Washington, DC: NAEYC Kobak, R. R., Cole, H. E., Ferenz-Gillies, R., Flemming, W. S., & Gamble, W. (1993). Attachment and emotional regulation during mother-teen problem-solving. A control theory analysis. Child Development, 64. Schaffer, H. R. & Emerson, P. E. (1964). The development of social attachments in infancy. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 29, 94 Waters, E., C.E. Hamilton and N.S. Weinfield. (2000). The stability of attachment security from infancy to adolescence and early adulthood: General introduction. Child Development, 71(3).

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