Attachment (Ainsworth)
Psychologist Mary Ainsworth devised a test called the 'Strange Situation procedure' in order to investigate and classify attachment in children between the age of 12 to 18 months.
The procedure consisted of seven steps, 2 separations and 2 reunions. It takes place within one room, in the following sequence and is observed throughout.
The child's attachment is then classified into one of the three styles.
Sometime a fourth category called disorganised is seen. This is a mixture of avoidant and resistive classes (Main and Solomon, 1986).
Ainsworth suggested that the child's attachment was determined by the primary carer.
Secure attachment is associated with sensitive and responsive carers
Resistant attachment is associated with inconsistent carers
Avoidant attachment is associated with unresponsive carers
Following on from this Mary Main devised the Adult Attachment Interview. She also listed four categories of attachment in adults. Interestingly these categories correspond to those of the strange situation as seen below. This suggests that the attachment style you develop as a child remains with you. A later study found the distribution of adult attachment styles correlated with those of the strange situation meaning that 70% of children and adults have secure attachment. Also of note is that attachment styles seem to be passed on to subsequent generations.
The procedure consisted of seven steps, 2 separations and 2 reunions. It takes place within one room, in the following sequence and is observed throughout.
| Step 1 | Parent and infant play alone |
|---|---|
| Step 2 | Stranger joins them |
| Step 3 | Parent leaves room |
| Step 4 | Parent returns, stranger leaves |
| Step 5 | Parent leaves (child completely alone) |
| Step 6 | Stranger returns |
| Step 7 | Parent returns |
The child's attachment is then classified into one of the three styles.
| Secure attachment | Anxious-resistant (or ambivalent) | Anxious-avoidant | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Separation anxiety | Distressed when mother leaves | Infant shows intense distress | No distress when mother leaves |
| Stranger anxiety | Avoids stranger when alone but friendly if mother present | Infant avoids stranger and shows fear | Infant is ok with the stranger |
| Reunion behaviour | Positive and happy when mother returns | Child approaches mother but resists contact, may even push her away | Infant shows little interest when mother returns |
| Other | Uses parent as safe base to explore environment | Infant cries more and explores less than the other 2 types | Mother and stranger able to comfort infant equally well |
| % of infants who fit this category | 70% | 15% | 15% |
Sometime a fourth category called disorganised is seen. This is a mixture of avoidant and resistive classes (Main and Solomon, 1986).
Ainsworth suggested that the child's attachment was determined by the primary carer.
Secure attachment is associated with sensitive and responsive carers
Resistant attachment is associated with inconsistent carers
Avoidant attachment is associated with unresponsive carers
Following on from this Mary Main devised the Adult Attachment Interview. She also listed four categories of attachment in adults. Interestingly these categories correspond to those of the strange situation as seen below. This suggests that the attachment style you develop as a child remains with you. A later study found the distribution of adult attachment styles correlated with those of the strange situation meaning that 70% of children and adults have secure attachment. Also of note is that attachment styles seem to be passed on to subsequent generations.
| Strange situation attachment style | Adult attachment style |
|---|---|
| Secure | Autonomous |
| Avoidant | Dismissing |
| Resistant | Preoccupied |
| Disorganised | Unresolved |
