BY: AMBER MITCHELL Mary Ainsworth

Background American-Canadian Development Psychologist Known for work in early emotional attachment “Strange Situation design” Attachment theory

Background University of Toronto Bachelor’s degree in 1935 Master’s degree in 1936 PhD in 1939 Joined Canadian Women’s Army Corps in 1942 Major in 1945

Background Married Leonard Ainsworth in 1950 They moved to London so Leonard could finish his graduate degree. While in England, she joined the research team of John Bowlby at the Tavistock Clinic. They researched the effects of maternal separation on child development. Ainsworth left the Tavistock Clinic in 1954 to do independent research in Africa. She divorced Leonard after ten years on marriage in 1960 University of Virginia

Accomplishments Award for Distinguished Contributions to Child Development in 1985 Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award in 1989 Elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1992.

Information on Theory Strange Situation Procedure Used to determine the nature of attachment behaviors and styles of attachment

Strange Situation Procedure In this procedure the child is observed playing for twenty minutes while caregivers and strangers enter and leave the room, recreating the flow of the familiar and unfamiliar persons in the lives of most children. The arranged sequence of events is as follows on the next slide:

Strange Situation Procedure Caregiver and infant are introduced to the experimental room. Caregiver and infant are left alone. Caregiver does not participate while infant plays and explores. Stranger enters, converses with parent, then approaches infant. Caregiver leaves inconspicuously. First separation episode: Stranger's adjusts his behavior to that of the infant. First reunion episode: Caregiver greets and comforts the infant, then leaves again. Second separation episode: Infant is left alone. Continuation of second separation episode: Stranger enters and again adjusts his behavior to that of the infant. Second reunion episode: Parent enters, greets infant, and picks up infant; stranger leaves inconspicuously.

Strange Situation Procedure Strange Situation scoring is primarily based on four interaction behaviors directed toward the mother in the two reunion episodes: Proximity and contacting seeking Contact maintaining Avoidance of proximity and contact Resistance to contact and comforting

Strange Situation Procedure Ainsworth identified three main attachment styles: secure, insecure avoidant and insecure ambivalent/resistant. She concluded that these attachment styles were the result of early interactions with the mother.

Secure Attachment Securely attached children comprised the majority of the sample in Ainsworth’s studies. These children feel confident that the attachment figure will be available to meet their needs. They use the attachment figure as a safe base to explore the environment and seek the attachment figure in times of distress. Securely attached infants are easily soothed by the attachment figure when upset. Infants develop a secure attachment when the caregiver is sensitive to their signals, and responds appropriately to their needs.

Insecure Avoidant Insecure avoidant children do not orientate to their attachment figure while investigating the environment. They are very independent of the attachment figure both physically and emotionally. They do not seek contact with the attachment figure when distressed. Such children are likely to have a caregiver who is insensitive and rejecting of their needs. The attachment figure may withdraw from helping during difficult tasks and is often unavailable during times of emotional distress.

Insecure Ambivalent/Resistant Here children adopt an ambivalent behavioral style towards the attachment figure. The child will commonly exhibit clingy and dependent behavior, but will be rejecting of the attachment figure when they engage in interaction. The child fails to develop any feelings of security from the attachment figure. Accordingly they exhibit difficulty moving away from the attachment figure to explore novel surroundings. When distressed they are difficult to soothe and are not comforted by interaction with the attachment figure. This behavior results from an inconsistent level of response to their needs from the primary caregiver.

Theory There is no correlation between Ainsworth’s theory and the Mitten or Is It Real problems.