Aim
To investigate interaction between infant attachment, response to unfamiliar situations and separation/reunion with attachment figure
Method
Sample
56 1 year olds and their mums, white and middle class. contacted via doctors, 23 were observed longitudinally and observed at 51 weeks, 33 others observed at 49 weeks old
Design
Controlled observation, 8 episodes standardised by all the p's, stranger approached gradually, no alarming behaviour, it took place in a room divided into 16 squares to allow for accurate recording
Chair for kids surrounded by toys on 1 side, a chair for the mother near the door and a chair for a stranger in a triangle formation, the child was allowed to move freely
8 episodes of the strange situation
The mother carried the baby into the room
M put B down, and sat quietly, only participating with play if B wanted attention
Stranger entered, sat for 1 minute chatting to M then showed B a toy before the M left
If B played happily, S remained non participant, if the B was inactive the S tried to play
if he was distressed, she comforted the B
M enters, lets B move to her if they want, S leaves and after the baby plays again, M says byebye and leaves
B left alone for 3 minutes
S enters and repeats step 4
M comes in, S leaves and the procedure ends
Obervers
In an adjoining room, 2 observers described behaviour using a tape recorder, the recorder had a timer click every 15 seconds, the recording was then transcribed and coded
In 4 cases, additional coding was made = high reliability
Quantitative measures
Frequency measures=
1- locomoter (body movement)
2- manipulating (touching and moving things)
3- visual (looking and examining)
Infants' behaviour=
1-Proximity/contact seeking
2- Contact-maintaining
3- Proximity/interaction avoidance
4- Contact/interaction avoidance
5- search behaviour
Results
1- Exploratory behaviour
Decreased when stranger entered the room and was low in ep. 4 after the mother left
Visual play increased in ep. 5 as mum interested the baby in play
No decrease when the stranger tried to play
2- Crying
No increase in crying in ep. 3, the babies didn't mind the stranger and mum's presence
Increased crying when mum wasn't there
Increased when baby was alone, didn't decrease when S entered again
3-Search behaviour during seperation
Peaked in ep. 6 when baby was alone
20% cried more
37% searched more than they cried
4- Proximity seeking/contact maintaining
Increased in ep. 5 when mum came back in, less strong with stranger and sometimes the babies liked contact with the strangers
5- contact-resisting/proximity avoiding
Observed in 1/3 of babies when mum first returned, 1/2 in second return
Babies who scored highly here have also scored high in contact maintaining = ambivilance but also resisting contact
Conclusion
Attachment behaviour increases in threatening situations, mum used as a secure base for exploration
Differences in attachment styles varied between babies
Evaluation
Type B attachments are ideal but this study is ethnocentric, differences can also be explained in variations of rearing practices
Lacks ecological validity, mothers may face depression or guilt when working and taking care of babies simultaneously, distress in the study was unethical but consent was given and they were not deceived