Schaffer and emerson attachment theory

Lifespan Development 3

PS506 Lifespan Development

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PS506 Lifespan Development

In this review of the article “Attachment, exploration, and separation: Illustrated by the behavior of one-year olds in a strange situation” the author Mary Ainsworth discusses an experiment she conducted known as the Strange Situation. This paper will review this experiment and the findings and provide an opinion on the credibility of the experiment. Two possible interventions for parent/child attachment will be offered.

Attachment Theory

The Strange Situation is an experiment conducted by Mary Ainsworth in order to determine how attachment differs in toddlers. Attachment theory looks at the interpersonal relationship between people and how bonds are formed. John Bowlby developed the attachment theory finding people form emotional bonds with other people overtime. This attachment does not have to be shared with one person forming an attachment but the other not forming the same attachment. The Strange Situation experiment resulted in the development of three types of attachment between the mother and child. Each of these attachment styles developed by Ainsworth is beneficial to understanding the types of attachments children form.

Attachment is characterized by specific behaviors in children, such as seeking proximity with the attachment figure when upset or threatened (Bowlby, 1969). The attachment theory is designed to explain the parent-child relationship and how attachments form. The attachment theory was established by Bowlby but the discovery of different types of attachments by children was a discovery made by Schaffer and Emerson in 1964. The research conducted by Schaffer and Emerson (1964) discovered some children require more attachment from their caregivers while other infants required less time and cuddling. This discovery eventually led to the research conducted by Ainsworth.

Ainsworth was interested in discovering how attachment forms in infant and young children. The goal of the experiment was to see how children respond when they are placed in strange or uncomfortable positions. The Strange Situation procedure applied eight different episodes that lasted three minutes each.

1. Mother, child, researcher are in the room for around one minute

2. Next Mother and baby are left in room alone

3. Stranger joins Mother and child

4. Next Mother leaves the room leaving the baby and stranger alone

5. Next mother returns to the room and the stranger leaves

6. Next the mother leaves the room leaving the infant all alone

7. Stranger returns alone

8. Next Mother returns and stranger leaves

During the research Ainsworth would note the changes in the child’s behavior during every episode. During the research Ainsworth recorded behaviors, such as separation anxiety. Separation anxiety refers to the feelings of unease the infant child experienced when mother left room. The child’s willingness to explore the room when left alone was recorded as well as the level of anxiety displayed when the child was left in the room with the stranger. Lastly was reunion behavior was recorded by Ainsworth. This behavior the child displayed when reunited with their mother.

Children were scored based o certain behaviors being displayed. The four interaction behaviors include proximity and contacting seeking, contact maintaining, avoidance of proximity and contact, and resistance to contact and comforting. Other behaviors include how the child explored the room, behaviors displayed when mother leaves the room, and any negative behaviors displayed by the child during the eight different intervals. Behavior displayed when mother left room included crying, beating on door, and trying to following mother from room. These behaviors showed an obvious separation anxiety when other left room. Negative behaviors include crying or showing any signs of distress.

The result of Ainsworth’s research was three attachment styles. A fourth attachment style was later added by Main and Solomon in 1990. The child identified as having the secure attachment would show signs of distress when mother leaves room, avoids the stranger when left alone in room, displays happy behavior when reunited with mother, and will explore room when mother present (Ainsworth, 1970). This means the child is secure in the attachment they have formed with their parent. While they show concern when mother leaves, the secure child will not reject the mother when she returns but instead show signs of happiness. The secure attachment style means the child is properly attached to the parent.

The second attachment style identified by Ainsworth is ambivalent attachment. Under this style the child becomes profoundly distressed when mother exits room, child shows signs of fearing stranger and will avoid any contact, comes closer to mother when reunited but may reject being touched, and the infant will cry and be less interested in exploring their surroundings. This type of attachment shows that the child has had inconsistent parenting resulting in less of a normal attachment to the caregiver. The secure attachment style involves a child that is sure their mother will return. This is not the case in the ambivalent or avoidance style.

The third identified attachment style is avoidant attachment. This attachment style results in the child showing no signs of distress when their mother leaves the room (DeWar, 2008). This attachment styles results in the child showing little or no fear of the stranger and the child will be comforted by the stranger or the Mother. This attachment style displays a failure of the child to attach properly to their mother. The failure of the child to show any need for the mother displays a clear lack of appropriate attachment.

The position taken by Ainsworth is parenting behavior and styles result in the child’s attachment style. This position is true. Research has supported Ainsworth’s finding that children from different types of attachments to their parents. In fact research conducted by Main and Solomon (1986) not only supported the research of Ainsworth but resulted in the development of another attachment style. This style is the disorganized-insecure where the child avoids contact with Mother as well as resists any efforts to comfort the child. This child was shown inconsistent parenting.

In order for the child to form proper attachments to their child they needed consistent, nurturing and caring. When a child receives inconsistent parenting or does not receive the proper levels of love and nurturing they will not develop a natural and healthy attachment to their caregiver. As a result of the inconsistent parenting the child experiences all types off issues with the development of normal later in life. It is important to ensure that the child always receives consistent love and nurturing that makes them secure in the love of their parents. Ainsworth uncovered the attachment styles children can form due to parenting style.

The most successful parenting styles are the one where the parent provides consistent, love and nurture. Parents do not means to be ineffective in ensuring the appropriate bond is formed and in order to better understand this important aspect parents should take parenting classes prior to the birth of their child. Another intervention to ensure the proper bonds are formed between parent and child is therapeutic intervention. If the proper attachments have not formed the parent and child can attend attachment-based therapeutic child-care program. These programs help to form the natural attachment that is missing.

References

Ainsworth, M.S., & Bell, S.M. (1970). Attachment, exploration, and separation: Illustrated by

the behavior of one-year olds in a strange situation. Child Development, 41(1), 49-67.

Bowlby J. (1969). Attachment. Attachment and loss: Vol. 1. Loss. New York: Basic Books.

DeWar, G. (2008). Is your child securely attached? The Strange Situation test. Retrieved

http://www.parentingscience.com/strange-situation.html#sthash.8XorA2St.dpuf

Schaffer, H. R., & Emerson, P. E. (1964) The development of social attachments in infancy.

Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 29(3), serial number 94.