Strange Situation

In the original study, 10-to-24 month old infants were subjected to a strange setting – which involved the parent briefly leaving the child alone in a room and then returning, then a unfamiliar female entered the room, and the parent leaves the child for a second time, but this time the child is left in the room with the unfamiliar female. The parent returns after a small time elapses. The behaviour of the child when it is reunited with the parent was observed and lead to the classification of three attachment types. Attachment is measured by the existence of certain behaviours. For example, the extend to which the young child is selective, directing attention towards specific people, if their behaviour involves physical proximity seeking-i.e. being close to the parent, if this behaviour provides comfort and security and whether the departure of the parent produces separation anxiety. Ainsworth et al have classified these behaviour types as follows;
Insecure-avoidant – the child shows little upset with the stranger, but will avoid contact with the parent on their return
Securely-attached – the child will show moderate levels of proximity seeking towards the parents, is upset by their departure but greats the parents return positively.
Insecure-resistant – child is greatly upset with parent’s departure, on reunion the child seeks both comfort and resists it.
Antecedents of the strange situation were from Kagan (1987) and Belsky and Rovine (1984). Kagan (1987) argued that the strange situation measures individual differences in infant’s temperament rather than the quality of the attachment. Kagan (1987) classifies three behaviour types that correspond with Ainsworth’s attachment types. For example; difficult (avoidant); the child can not respond constructively to change, easy-going (securely attached) and shy (insecure attached) – whereby the child may appear distance. In addition, Belsky and Rovine (1984) combine the two theories and believe that it is both... [continues]

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