Outline and Evaluate Ainsworth and Bell's Research into Types of Attachment- Abbie Malyon

Outline and evaluate Ainsworth and Bell's research into types of attachment- Abbie Malyon

The strange situation study was conducted by Ainsworth and Bell who had the intention of finding out how many different types of attachments there were, what these types were and how many children are in each type. The study was conducted as a laboratory experiment in a controlled environment, Ainsworth and Bell manipulated the independent variable which was who was in the room with the child. The experiment had 8 different episodes with different combinations of who was in the room, these were; the child and primary care giver, the child, the primary care giver and the stranger, the child and the stranger and the child alone. Ainsworth and Bell monitored and recorded the dependent variable which was the child's reaction to these episodes. They did this through a one way glass wherein they could see inside the room but those inside the room could not see them. Ainsworth and Bell recorded whether the child displayed any or all of four main indicators; desire for proximity, distress on separation, joy on reunion and general orientation towards the primary care giver. Ainsworth and Bell were also monitoring the child's ability to use their mother as a safe base from which to explore the room. Through the strange situation study, Ainsworth and Bell found three types of attachment; type A, insecure avoidant, type B, securely attached and type C, insecure resistant. 15% of children were found to be in type A- insecure avoidant, these children were indifferent in their behaviour towards their mother and were unresponsive to their presence. Type B included 70% of children, these children displayed all 4 indicators, and were able to use their mother as a safe base in which to explore. Type c children were ambivalent in their behaviour, despite being distressed when alone they seemed rejecting on their mothers return.

The strange situation was a laboratory experiment with a very standardised procedure, it is therefore very easy to replicate. Due to being easy to replicate, the strange situation has been very influential to psychologists, influencing them to go and replicate it. The experiment was a pioneering and ground breaking research study, and it was Ainsworth and Bell who were the first people to study types of attachment. Another benefit