The Strange Situation
This was a method devised by Mary Ainsworth to measure attachment.
Procedure:
20 min structured observation, each section lasting 3 minutes; observed via a one way mirror
· Mother and child shown to room and child shown toys to play with
· Child explores room with mother present
· Stranger enters the room and tries to interact with the child
· Mother leaves the room so child is left with the stranger, stranger tries to interact with child
· Mother returns, comforts the child and the stranger leaves
· The mother leaves, the child is left alone
· The stranger returns and tries to interact and console the child
· The mother returns
3 main attachment types
· Secure – ignores stranger when alone, upset when mother leaves, happy when mother returns and is quickly settled
· Insecure avoidant – plays with stranger not distressed when mother leaves, not interested when mother returns
· Insecure resistant – shows fear of stranger, intense reaction to mother leaving, on her return seeks comfort but pushes her away and resists
Findings:
USA findings: Secure = 65%; Insecure avoidant = 23%; Insecure resistant = 12%
Evaluation:
Generalisability: Sample of middle class American participant’s; may be different to other classes and other cultures.
See below how it was replicated in Germany, Japan and Israel and the effects that were found
Reliability: Standardised procedure following the same steps and timings for each child, it is replicable because of this.
Application: explains social relationships in adulthood (Hazan & Shaver), however does not take into account individual differences or that some of the children had more experience of being separated from the mother e.g. day care
Sroufe (1983) found that children showing secure attachments at the age of two were independently rated by their nursery teachers as being more popular, showing more initiative, having higher self-esteem, being less aggressive and being social leaders
Validity: lack of ecological validity because it is an unfamiliar situation and child may be reacting to this rather than the mother leaving
Ethics : issue of consent – comes from the mother; protection from harm – children obviously distressed; however this is the only way to observe separation behaviour
Attachment Types and Cross Cultural Research
Cross cultural research is when the same procedure from one culture is used in another culture in order to make comparisons to see whether the behaviour is universal. If the same behaviour is found this would suggest the behaviour is universal, and that it is innate. However if differences are found this could suggest the behaviour is culture specific.
The strange situation has been used in different cultures to see whether the 3 attachment types are universal and if similar findings can be found.
Sagi conducted the strange situation in Israel. The findings were: Secure = 37%; Insecure avoidant = 13% and Insecure resistant = 50%
This could be explained because children are cared for in Kibbutz – where childcare is shared and children raised by a metapelet. This can explain high level of insecure resistant as mothers are often absent and caregivers unable to give attention to individual children
However where children slept with the family rather than communally, they showed ‘normal’ attachment behaviour.
In Germany, Grossman found children were: Secure = 33%; Insecure avoidant = 49% and insecure resistant = 18%
In Germany independence is valued and this is encouraged in children. They are weaned at a young age.
Miyake’s use of the strange situation in Japan found: Secure = 68%; Insecure avoidant = 0% and Insecure resistant = 32%
In Japan children are rarely left without their mother. They are encouraged to depend on her and would find the strange situation highly distressing. Avoidant behaviour is seen as rude in Japanese culture which could explain no attachment types in this category.
However Durrett found in modern Japanese families where the mother goes out to work and children are left the attachment types were more similar to the USA.
Evaluation
Samples are different in the different cultures – both in terms of sample size and the participants e.g. family backgrounds. This makes it difficult to make comparisons and draw conclusions
The strange situation is a standardised procedure and the same method was used in all cultures, however this procedure was devised in the USA based on their customs, so may be ethnocentric
There are a number of different variables that might affect findings in different cultures, and therefore it is difficult to draw conclusions
The variation might be just as great within a culture as it is between cultures (Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg)
There was consistency in that all cultures showed the same general attachment types, and secure attachment was the main attachment type
This was a method devised by Mary Ainsworth to measure attachment.
Procedure:
20 min structured observation, each section lasting 3 minutes; observed via a one way mirror
· Mother and child shown to room and child shown toys to play with
· Child explores room with mother present
· Stranger enters the room and tries to interact with the child
· Mother leaves the room so child is left with the stranger, stranger tries to interact with child
· Mother returns, comforts the child and the stranger leaves
· The mother leaves, the child is left alone
· The stranger returns and tries to interact and console the child
· The mother returns
3 main attachment types
· Secure – ignores stranger when alone, upset when mother leaves, happy when mother returns and is quickly settled
· Insecure avoidant – plays with stranger not distressed when mother leaves, not interested when mother returns
· Insecure resistant – shows fear of stranger, intense reaction to mother leaving, on her return seeks comfort but pushes her away and resists
Findings:
USA findings: Secure = 65%; Insecure avoidant = 23%; Insecure resistant = 12%
Evaluation:
Generalisability: Sample of middle class American participant’s; may be different to other classes and other cultures.
See below how it was replicated in Germany, Japan and Israel and the effects that were found
Reliability: Standardised procedure following the same steps and timings for each child, it is replicable because of this.
Application: explains social relationships in adulthood (Hazan & Shaver), however does not take into account individual differences or that some of the children had more experience of being separated from the mother e.g. day care
Sroufe (1983) found that children showing secure attachments at the age of two were independently rated by their nursery teachers as being more popular, showing more initiative, having higher self-esteem, being less aggressive and being social leaders
Validity: lack of ecological validity because it is an unfamiliar situation and child may be reacting to this rather than the mother leaving
Ethics : issue of consent – comes from the mother; protection from harm – children obviously distressed; however this is the only way to observe separation behaviour
Attachment Types and Cross Cultural Research
Cross cultural research is when the same procedure from one culture is used in another culture in order to make comparisons to see whether the behaviour is universal. If the same behaviour is found this would suggest the behaviour is universal, and that it is innate. However if differences are found this could suggest the behaviour is culture specific.
The strange situation has been used in different cultures to see whether the 3 attachment types are universal and if similar findings can be found.
Sagi conducted the strange situation in Israel. The findings were: Secure = 37%; Insecure avoidant = 13% and Insecure resistant = 50%
This could be explained because children are cared for in Kibbutz – where childcare is shared and children raised by a metapelet. This can explain high level of insecure resistant as mothers are often absent and caregivers unable to give attention to individual children
However where children slept with the family rather than communally, they showed ‘normal’ attachment behaviour.
In Germany, Grossman found children were: Secure = 33%; Insecure avoidant = 49% and insecure resistant = 18%
In Germany independence is valued and this is encouraged in children. They are weaned at a young age.
Miyake’s use of the strange situation in Japan found: Secure = 68%; Insecure avoidant = 0% and Insecure resistant = 32%
In Japan children are rarely left without their mother. They are encouraged to depend on her and would find the strange situation highly distressing. Avoidant behaviour is seen as rude in Japanese culture which could explain no attachment types in this category.
However Durrett found in modern Japanese families where the mother goes out to work and children are left the attachment types were more similar to the USA.
Evaluation
Samples are different in the different cultures – both in terms of sample size and the participants e.g. family backgrounds. This makes it difficult to make comparisons and draw conclusions
The strange situation is a standardised procedure and the same method was used in all cultures, however this procedure was devised in the USA based on their customs, so may be ethnocentric
There are a number of different variables that might affect findings in different cultures, and therefore it is difficult to draw conclusions
The variation might be just as great within a culture as it is between cultures (Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg)
There was consistency in that all cultures showed the same general attachment types, and secure attachment was the main attachment type