Ainsworth and Bell
(1969)
AIM
To test how different children
respond to strangers and separation anxiety, testing the secure base.
SAMPLE
Children aged 12-18 months from 106
middle class families in the US
PROCEDURE
The strange
situation procedure was used. The observers were recording the behaviours of
both the mother and baby, especially noting:
·
separation anxiety – the distress shown
by the baby when left by its mother
·
stranger anxiety – the baby’s response
to the presence of the stranger (both with and without the mother there)
·
reunion behaviour – the way the baby greeted the mother upon her return
at the reunion stages
FINDINGS
The infants were categorised different attachment types. They
achieved this by examining the responsiveness of the mother to the child’s
needs. The three types of attachment
identified were:
1. Secure: If the mother was sensitive, consistent and responsive to
the child (reacting positively and appropriately to the child’s signals) they
believed the child was more likely to develop a secure attachment.
2. Anxious-avoidant: If the child was rejected by the mother, they believed the
child would feel unworthy and develop and insecure anxious-resistant attachment
and this was classified as an anxious-avoidant attachment.
3. Anxious-resistant: If the mother was inconsistent in her responsiveness (i.e.
sometimes reacting positively and other times rejecting the child), the child
would also develop an insecure attachment, classified as an anxious-resistant
attachment.
70%
Secure attachment: The securely attached child will play happily with the mother present,
and even with the stranger present, but becomes distressed whenever the mother
leaves and cannot be comforted by the stranger. Upon re-entry, the child goes
straight to the mother for comfort and settles down and resumes playing. Thus the
mother is a safe base, and the child displays separation anxiety.
15% Anxious Avoidant attachment: When it is just the mother and baby
in the room, the child does not keep checking to see that the mother is still
present, and may not always cry when the mother leaves the room, and if they
do, they can be comforted by the stranger. When the mother returns, the child
may turn away from her.
15% Anxious Resistant attachment: Anxious-resistant children seem
anxious throughout the procedure, and stay close to the mother rather than
explore. They seem worried, even when the mother is present. They are very distressed
when the mother leaves, and cannot be comforted by the stranger (they actually
show stranger fear), and the mother cannot easily comfort the child when she
returns – the child will seek contact with the mother but at the same time try
to pull away from her.
CONCLUSION
The
attachment is related to the behaviour of their primary caregiver. Their
parenting style, whether consistent and responsive which develops a secure
attachment OR those who were inconsistent and unresponsive are said to develop
an insecure attachment.