Lifespan Development 3 PS506 Lifespan Development Name Class Date Professor PS506 Lifespan Development In this review of the article “Attachment, exploration, and separation: Illustrated by the behavior of one-year olds in a strange situation” the author Mary Ainsworth discusses an experiment she conducted known as the Strange Situation. This paper will review this experiment and the findings and provide an opinion on the credibility of the experiment. Two possible interventions for parent/child attachment will be offered. Attachment Theory The Strange Situation is an experiment conducted by Mary Ainsworth in order to determine how attachment differs in toddlers. Attachment theory looks at the interpersonal relationship between people and how bonds are formed. John Bowlby developed the attachment theory finding people form emotional bonds with other people overtime. This attachment does not have to be shared with one person forming an attachment but the other not forming the same attachment. The Strange Situation experiment resulted in the development of three types of attachment between the mother and child. Each of these attachment styles developed by Ainsworth is beneficial to understanding the types of attachments children form. Attachment is characterized by specific behaviors in children, such as seeking proximity with the attachment figure when upset or threatened (Bowlby, 1969). The attachment theory is designed to explain the parent-child relationship and how attachments form. The attachment theory was established by Bowlby but the discovery of different types of attachments by children was a discovery made by Schaffer and Emerson in 1964. The research conducted by Schaffer and Emerson (1964) discovered some children require more attachment from their caregivers while other infants required less time and cuddling. This discovery eventually led to the research conducted by Ainsworth. Ainsworth was interested in discovering how attachment forms in infant and young children. The goal of the experiment was to see how children respond when they are placed in strange or uncomfortable positions. The Strange Situation procedure applied eight different episodes that lasted three minutes each. 1. Mother, child, researcher are in the room for around one minute 2. Next Mother and baby are left in room alone 3. Stranger joins Mother and child 4. Next Mother leaves the room leaving the baby and stranger alone 5. Next mother returns to the room and the stranger leaves 6. Next the mother leaves the room leaving the infant all alone 7. Stranger returns alone 8. Next Mother returns and stranger leaves During the research Ainsworth would note the changes in the child’s behavior during every episode. During the research Ainsworth recorded behaviors, such as separation anxiety. Separation anxiety refers to the feelings of unease the infant child experienced when mother left room. The child’s willingn ...

1. Lifespan Development 3
PS506 Lifespan Development
Name
Class
Date
Professor
PS506 Lifespan Development
In this review of the article “Attachment, exploration, and
separation: Illustrated by the behavior of one-year olds in a
strange situation” the author Mary Ainsworth discusses an
experiment she conducted known as the Strange Situation. This
paper will review this experiment and the findings and provide
an opinion on the credibility of the experiment. Two possible

2. interventions for parent/child attachment will be offered.
Attachment Theory
The Strange Situation is an experiment conducted by Mary
Ainsworth in order to determine how attachment differs in
toddlers. Attachment theory looks at the interpersonal
relationship between people and how bonds are formed. John
Bowlby developed the attachment theory finding people form
emotional bonds with other people overtime. This attachment
does not have to be shared with one person forming an
attachment but the other not forming the same attachment. The
Strange Situation experiment resulted in the development of
three types of attachment between the mother and child. Each of
these attachment styles developed by Ainsworth is beneficial to
understanding the types of attachments children form.
Attachment is characterized by specific behaviors in children,
such as seeking proximity with the attachment figure when
upset or threatened (Bowlby, 1969). The attachment theory is
designed to explain the parent-child relationship and how
attachments form. The attachment theory was established by
Bowlby but the discovery of different types of attachments by
children was a discovery made by Schaffer and Emerson in
1964. The research conducted by Schaffer and Emerson (1964)
discovered some children require more attachment from their
caregivers while other infants required less time and cuddling.

3. This discovery eventually led to the research conducted by
Ainsworth.
Ainsworth was interested in discovering how attachment forms
in infant and young children. The goal of the experiment was to
see how children respond when they are placed in strange or
uncomfortable positions. The Strange Situation procedure
applied eight different episodes that lasted three minutes each.
1. Mother, child, researcher are in the room for around one
minute
2. Next Mother and baby are left in room alone
3. Stranger joins Mother and child
4. Next Mother leaves the room leaving the baby and stranger
alone
5. Next mother returns to the room and the stranger leaves
6. Next the mother leaves the room leaving the infant all alone
7. Stranger returns alone
8. Next Mother returns and stranger leaves
During the research Ainsworth would note the changes in the
child’s behavior during every episode. During the research
Ainsworth recorded behaviors, such as separation anxiety.
Separation anxiety refers to the feelings of unease the infant
child experienced when mother left room. The child’s
willingness to explore the room when left alone was recorded as
well as the level of anxiety displayed when the child was left in
the room with the stranger. Lastly was reunion behavior was
recorded by Ainsworth. This behavior the child displayed when
reunited with their mother.
Children were scored based o certain behaviors being displayed.
The four interaction behaviors include proximity and contacting
seeking, contact maintaining, avoidance of proximity and
contact, and resistance to contact and comforting. Other
behaviors include how the child explored the room, behaviors
displayed when mother leaves the room, and any negative
behaviors displayed by the child during the eight different
intervals. Behavior displayed when mother left room included
crying, beating on door, and trying to following mother from

4. room. These behaviors showed an obvious separation anxiety
when other left room. Negative behaviors include crying or
showing any signs of distress.
The result of Ainsworth’s research was three attachment styles.
A fourth attachment style was later added by Main and Solomon
in 1990. The child identified as having the secure attachment
would show signs of distress when mother leaves room, avoids
the stranger when left alone in room, displays happy behavior
when reunited with mother, and will explore room when mother
present (Ainsworth, 1970). This means the child is secure in the
attachment they have formed with their parent. While they show
concern when mother leaves, the secure child will not reject the
mother when she returns but instead show signs of happiness.
The secure attachment style means the child is properly attached
to the parent.
The second attachment style identified by Ainsworth is
ambivalent attachment. Under this style the child becomes
profoundly distressed when mother exits room, child shows
signs of fearing stranger and will avoid any contact, comes
closer to mother when reunited but may reject being touched,
and the infant will cry and be less interested in exploring their
surroundings. This type of attachment shows that the child has
had inconsistent parenting resulting in less of a normal
attachment to the caregiver. The secure attachment style
involves a child that is sure their mother will return. This is not
the case in the ambivalent or avoidance style.
The third identified attachment style is avoidant attachment.
This attachment style results in the child showing no signs of
distress when their mother leaves the room (DeWar, 2008). This
attachment styles results in the child showing little or no fear of
the stranger and the child will be comforted by the stranger or
the Mother. This attachment style displays a failure of the child
to attach properly to their mother. The failure of the child to
show any need for the mother displays a clear lack of
appropriate attachment.
The position taken by Ainsworth is parenting behavior and

5. styles result in the child’s attachment style. This position is
true. Research has supported Ainsworth’s finding that children
from different types of attachments to their parents. In fact
research conducted by Main and Solomon (1986) not only
supported the research of Ainsworth but resulted in the
development of another attachment style. This style is the
disorganized-insecure where the child avoids contact with
Mother as well as resists any efforts to comfort the child. This
child was shown inconsistent parenting.
In order for the child to form proper attachments to their child
they needed consistent, nurturing and caring. When a child
receives inconsistent parenting or does not receive the proper
levels of love and nurturing they will not develop a natural and
healthy attachment to their caregiver. As a result of the
inconsistent parenting the child experiences all types off issues
with the development of normal later in life. It is important to
ensure that the child always receives consistent love and
nurturing that makes them secure in the love of their parents.
Ainsworth uncovered the attachment styles children can form
due to parenting style.
The most successful parenting styles are the one where the
parent provides consistent, love and nurture. Parents do not
means to be ineffective in ensuring the appropriate bond is
formed and in order to better understand this important aspect
parents should take parenting classes prior to the birth of their
child. Another intervention to ensure the proper bonds are
formed between parent and child is therapeutic intervention. If
the proper attachments have not formed the parent and child can
attend attachment-based therapeutic child-care program. These
programs help to form the natural attachment that is missing.
References
Ainsworth, M.S., & Bell, S.M. (1970). Attachment,
exploration, and separation: Illustrated by
the behavior of one-year olds in a strange situation. Child
Development, 41(1), 49-67.

6. Bowlby J. (1969). Attachment. Attachment and loss: Vol. 1.
Loss. New York: Basic Books.
DeWar, G. (2008). Is your child securely attached? The Strange
Situation test. Retrieved
http://www.parentingscience.com/strange-
situation.html#sthash.8XorA2St.dpuf
Schaffer, H. R., & Emerson, P. E. (1964) The development of
social attachments in infancy.
Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development,
29(3), serial number 94.