2. The Strange Situation Test: Ainsworth's Attachment Theory for Infants

Secure Attachment

The securely attached infant actively plays and explores the room when his parent is in the room because he or she serves as a secure base. The infant may be upset when the parent leaves but greets his parent happily and is comforted by the parent's presence when he or she returns. The securely-attached child is friendly and outgoing with strangers when the parent is present.

Stranger anxiety

is the reaction to a stranger that may cause a child to become quiet, wary of the person, or hide. Stranger anxiety is common among children between the ages of 8-18 months. Stranger anxiety typically declines as the child approaches the age of 2 years old.

Separation anxiety

is the stage in which a child experiences anxiety, such as fretfulness and wariness, when separated from the primary caregiver.

4 types of infant attachment through observations of the Strange Situation

secure, resistant, avoidant, and disorganized-disoriented

Strange Situation experiment

to assess the security of attachment in infants and young children. This experiment sought to observe separation and stranger anxiety and also determine the different types of attachment styles exhibited between children and their primary caregiver.

Separation anxiety typically appears

when infants are forming attachments around 8 months of age and peaks at approximately 14-18 months of age. Over time, this type of anxiety becomes less frequent and less intense, especially when children feel safe in their home environment and trust that the caregiver will return.

In extreme cases, separation anxiety

can cause a child to refuse to go to school or other places for fear of separation and refuse to go to sleep without the caregiver being nearby.

Avoidant Attachment

Children characterized as avoidant attachment, seem uninterested in exploring, show little distress when separated from their mothers or parents, and avoid contact when their parent returns. The avoidant-attached child is not very wary of strangers but may avoid or even ignore them, similar to how they avoid or ignore their parents. Avoidant children seem to have distanced themselves from their parents, almost as if saying, 'I don't need your affection.'

Mary Ainsworth

Elaborated on John Bowlby's attachment theory and conducted the Strange Situation experiment. She also discusses the four infant attachment types identified through the experiment.

The Strange Situation proceeded as follows

Episode 1: An experimenter leaves the parent or caregiver and baby alone to play. Episode 2: The parent sits while the baby plays. Researchers observed the use of the parent as a secure base in this episode. Episode 3: A stranger enters the room and talks to the parent. Researchers observed stranger anxiety in this episode. Episode 4: The parent leaves the room and the stranger stays, letting the baby play and offering comfort if necessary. Researchers observed separation anxiety in this episode. Episode 5: The parent returns, greets the baby, and offers comfort if needed, and the stranger leaves the room. Researchers observed the reactions to reunion during this episode. Episode 6: The parent leaves the room again. Only the baby is in the room. Researchers are again observing separation anxiety. Episode 7: The stranger enters the room and offers comfort to the baby. Researchers are observing stranger anxiety and the ability of the baby to be soothed by a stranger. Episode 8: The parent returns to the room, greets the baby, and offers comfort. The baby is allowed to return to play. Researchers observed the reactions to reunion in this final episode.

Lesson Summary

Mary Ainsworth, a psychologist, and her colleagues developed an experiment, known as the Strange Situation, in order to explore and identify attachment types among infants and young children. During these experiments, researchers observed child, parent, and stranger interactions in order to determine levels of attachment, separation anxiety, and stranger anxiety. Researchers identified four types of attachment styles. Secure infants, which make up the majority of all infants and young children, play and explore freely when the parent is near. They are upset when separated from the parent but easily comforted when they return. They are also friendly and outgoing with strangers when the parent is near. Resistant infants, 10% of the population, explore and play minimally. They are upset at the parent's departure but hesitant to seek comfort when the parent returns. They are also wary of strangers. The avoidant infant, 15% of the population, seems to be uninterested in exploration or play. They exhibit little distress when the parent leaves and avoid contact when the parent returns. They also avoid or ignore strangers in a similar fashion. Finally, the disorganized-disoriented infant, up to 15% of the population, exhibits behaviors of confusion or surprise when the parent returns from separation. They may simply freeze in their actions. They are also wary of strangers.

Disorganized-Disoriented

Most of these children come from high-risk homes (with little continual care or little attention). When these children are reunited with their parents after a separation period, they may act surprised or even lie on the floor immobilized. Sometimes they try to make contact with the parent, but then they will quickly retreat. These children seem to be confused and unable to approach or avoid the parent. They may become distressed in the presence of strangers but are unable to seek proper comfort because they also view the parent warily.

Resistant Attachment

This is observed as an insecure attachment characterized by anxious, ambivalent reactions. The child that is characterized with this type of attachment does not explore and play, even when his parent is in the room. The parent appears to not serve as a secure base for exploration and play. The child does, however, become upset when the parent leaves, sometimes showing higher levels of separation anxiety than a securely-attached child. When the parent returns to the room, the child is unsure and hesitant. He may try to get close to the parent but also seems to resentful for the parent leaving in the first place. The child may resist attempts by the parent to comfort and soothe and is also wary of strangers, even in the presence of the parent.

Attachment

is defined as a deep and long-term bond that connects one person to another.