Types of Attachment: Ainsworth's Strange Situation

Not all attachments are the same. Some infants show healthy, confident attachment behaviour while others appear anxious, avoidant, or disorganised. Understanding the different types of attachment and how they are measured is essential for AQA A-Level Psychology. The most influential method for classifying attachment types is Ainsworth's Strange Situation, and research into cultural variations has raised important questions about the universality of attachment.

Key Definition: The Strange Situation is a controlled observational procedure designed by Mary Ainsworth to assess the quality of attachment between an infant (9–18 months) and a caregiver. It takes place in a novel environment and involves a series of separations and reunions.

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Ainsworth's Strange Situation (1978)

Ainsworth et al. (1978) developed the Strange Situation as a method to observe and classify attachment behaviour in infants aged between 9 and 18 months. The procedure took place in a laboratory playroom and consisted of eight episodes, each lasting approximately three minutes.

The Eight Episodes

Episode	Description
1	Parent and infant enter the room.
2	Parent and infant are alone; infant explores the room.
3	A stranger enters and talks to the parent, then approaches the infant.
4	Parent leaves the room; the stranger remains with the infant (first separation).
5	Parent returns and the stranger leaves (first reunion).
6	Parent leaves the infant alone (second separation).
7	The stranger returns and tries to comfort the infant.
8	Parent returns and the stranger leaves (second reunion).

Behaviours Observed

Ainsworth and her colleagues assessed five key behaviours:

1. Separation anxiety — the infant's response when the caregiver left the room.
2. Reunion behaviour — the infant's response when the caregiver returned.
3. Stranger anxiety — the infant's response to the unfamiliar adult.
4. Exploration — the extent to which the infant explored the novel environment.
5. Secure base behaviour — whether the infant used the caregiver as a base from which to explore.

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The Three Attachment Types

Based on observations of approximately 100 middle-class American infants, Ainsworth identified three main types of attachment:

Type B: Secure Attachment (approximately 66%)

Behaviour	Description
Exploration	Explores confidently and freely when the caregiver is present
Separation anxiety	Shows moderate distress when the caregiver leaves
Stranger anxiety	Shows some wariness of the stranger, especially when the caregiver is absent
Reunion behaviour	Greets the caregiver positively on return; seeks comfort and is quickly soothed
Secure base	Uses the caregiver as a secure base for exploration

Secure attachment is associated with a caregiver who is sensitive and responsive to the infant's needs and signals.

Type A: Insecure-Avoidant Attachment (approximately 22%)

Behaviour	Description
Exploration	Explores freely but does not use the caregiver as a secure base
Separation anxiety	Shows little or no distress when the caregiver leaves
Stranger anxiety	Shows little stranger anxiety; may be as comfortable with the stranger as with the caregiver
Reunion behaviour	Avoids the caregiver on return; shows little interest in being comforted
Secure base	Does not seek proximity to the caregiver

Insecure-avoidant attachment is associated with a caregiver who is rejecting or unresponsive to the infant's needs. The infant has learned that their needs will not be met and so avoids seeking comfort.

Type C: Insecure-Resistant Attachment (approximately 12%)

Behaviour	Description
Exploration	Explores less than secure or avoidant infants; reluctant to leave the caregiver's side
Separation anxiety	Shows intense distress when the caregiver leaves
Stranger anxiety	Shows strong stranger anxiety; is not easily comforted by the stranger
Reunion behaviour	Seeks comfort on reunion but simultaneously resists it (e.g., reaches out to be picked up but then pushes away); ambivalent
Secure base	Does not use the caregiver as an effective secure base

Insecure-resistant attachment is associated with a caregiver who is inconsistently responsive — sometimes attentive, sometimes neglectful — so the infant cannot predict whether their needs will be met.

Key Definition: Secure base behaviour refers to the infant's use of the attachment figure as a point of safety from which to explore the environment. The infant ventures out to explore and returns to the caregiver when anxious or uncertain.

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Type D: Disorganised Attachment

Main and Solomon (1986) later identified a fourth attachment type — Type D: disorganised attachment. This type was observed in infants whose behaviour did not fit neatly into any of Ainsworth's three categories.