Mary Ainsworth developed attachment theory and the Strange Situation experiment to study infant attachment. The Strange Situation involves briefly separating an infant from their parent in a laboratory setting with another stranger present. It consists of eight episodes involving separations and reunions. Researchers observe the infant's behavior upon the parent's return to classify the infant's attachment style as secure, anxious/ambivalent, avoidant, or disorganized-disoriented. The infant's reaction indicates the quality of attachment to their parent.

2. Mary Ainsworth (1913-
1999)was an American-
Canadian developmental
psychologist known for
her work in early
emotional attachment with
the strange situation
design, as well as her
work in the development
of attachment theory.

3. Mary Ainsworth
•At the age of 15, Ainsworth read William
McDougall’s book entitled Character and
the Conduct of life, which inspired her to
become a psychologist.
•Went to Uganda to study attachment in
African babies through naturalistic
observation in their homes.

4. So, how do researchers
know what kind of
attachments a particular
child has?

5. •The Strange Situation is a
laboratory procedure used to
study infant attachment.
•The procedure consists of eight
episodes:

6. 1. Parent and infant are introduced to
the experimental room.
2. Parent and infant are alone. Parent
does not participate while infant
explores.
3. Stranger enters, converses with
parent, then approaches infant.
Parent leaves inconspicuously.

7. 4. First separation episode: Stranger’s
behavior is geared to the infant.
5. First reunion episode: Parent greets
and comforts infant, then leave
again.
6. Second separation episode: Infant
is alone.

8. 7. Continuation of second separation
episode; Stranger enters and gears
behavior to the infant.
8. Second reunion episode: parent
enters, greets infant, and picks up
infant; stranger leaves
inconspicuously.

9. The Strange Situation
The infants behavior upon
the parent’s return is the
basis for classifying the
infant into one of four
attachment categories.

11. 1. Secure Attachment
A pattern in which an infant cries or
protests when the primary caregiver
leaves and actively seeks out the
caregiver on his or her return.

13. 2. Anxious/Ambivalent Attachment
A pattern in which an infant
becomes anxious before the
primary caregiver leaves, is
extremely upset during his/her
absence, and both seeks and resists
contact on his/her return.

15. 3. Avoidant Attachment
A pattern in which an infant
rarely cries when separated
from the primary caregiver and
avoids contact on his/ return.

18. Disorganized- Disoriented Attachment
A pattern in which an infant,
after separation from the
primary caregiver, shows
contradictory, or misdirected
behaviors on his/her return.