Researching Attachment:
Strange Situation Test
The
Strange Situation Test involves separating the very young child (toddler) from
its mother or primary
caregiver
and then reuniting
the
child with the
parent.
The infant is put through eight standardized episodes or situations, all meant to elicit differing levels of distress. These include an experimenter entering the room, one or both leaving, and a stranger entering either with or without the parent
in
the room. Based on the infant’s
reaction
to these situations, his
or
her type of attachment
with
the mother or
is
identified.
This is carried out under controlled and
monitored conditions and involves carefully
recording the child’s reactions and the parent’s
behavior. It
was developed by Mary Ainsworth who
extended the earlier groundbreaking work of John
Bowlby.
Arranged by Dr. Gordon
Vessels 2005
From Messer, D. and Miller,
S. (1999). Exploring
Developmental Psychology. Copy of photo found at
http://ibs.derby.ac.uk/~steve/devpsy/powerpoint/lec7social.ppt#7
Ainsworth, M.D.S., Blehar,
M., Waters, E., & Wall, S. (1978). Patterns of attachment: A psychological study
of the Strange Situation. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.