The Strange Situation and Attachment Patterns of Mary Ainsworth
In 1970′s research, the psychologist named Mary Ainsworth devised the “Strange Situation” which is a semi-structured laboratory procedure that allows to identify with no lengthy home observation about the infants who effectively use a primary caregiver as a secure base. The procedure was involve a series of eight episodes which lasting in approximately 3 minutes each, whereas the mother, child and the stranger are introduced, separated and reunited. However, the strange situation designed to observe attachment security in children within the context of caregiver relationships or to tell something about the quality of the relationship they had.
Ainsworth’s Attachment Patterns
“Attachment pattern are ways of thinking and behavioral strategies that children develop in order to feel safe and to maximize their opportunities for receiving care and protection from close adults”
In 1970, upon doing the strange situation procedure, Ainsworth identified the four attachment styles or pattern such as secure attachment, insecure-avoidant attachment, insecure-ambivalent/resistant attachment, and disorganized attachment.
The Four Attachment Patterns
SECURE ATTACHMENT PATTERN
“When a child was in a room, it will explore while its parent is present and when its parent leaves the room, the child will start to show of missing its parent during their separation. Someway, the kids in secure attachment pattern was able to separate from their parents but they would be very upset and when their parents would come back they would be happy. Their preference to the parent over stranger is evident. Yet, they seek comfort from their parents/caregiver.”
INSECURE-AVOIDANT ATTACHMENT PATTERN
“The child here was often fails to cry when it was separated in its parent and they avoid and ignore their parent when reunited (by moving away, leaning out of arms if picked up, and turning away). Children in this attachment pattern will show a no preference between a parent and a complete stranger.”
INSECURE-AMBIVALENT/RESISTANT ATTACHMENT PATTERN
“The child here may be wary or distressed prior to separation of their parents and they will show a little exploration of their environment. In this attachment pattern, children would be suspicious to strangers and they seem preoccupied with the status and location of their parent, and may appear angry or passive.”
DISORGANIZED ATTACHMENT PATTERN
“The children of this attachment pattern was most likely develop into psychiatric diagnosis of Reactive Attachment Disorder. Also, the they would display a disorganized or disoriented behaviors when their parents are present. The children here could described as displaying dazed behavior and sometimes they seems like either confused or apprehensive in the presence of their parents.”
When I was a kid, I can say that I have an insecure-ambivalent attachment towards my parents, because as what my mother told me that I’m a crybaby back then at first but gradually as I getting older I become not scared and not a crybaby anymore even if they aren’t around with me. I become not fussy and used to explore things on my own, because according to my mother she didn’t really have her full attention to me because she has a lot of things to do especially in taking care of my sisters who always getting sick before. My father was also busy to his work. That’s why these days, I’m not like others who can simply say “I love you” in a serious way to my parents or to other people (unless if I say it jokingly) because I’m not used to say it, it’s just like I feel awkward or shy when I say it to someone. I actually have difficulties to express my feelings and share my problems to others especially to my parents, because I'm not used to do it since then, it doesn't mean that I didn't trust them, it just like I prefer to keep all of my problems and have a secret battle in facing them, because I'm afraid to be judged I guess or it just like I used to handle all of my problems without the help of others. I also feels like too worried about what other people think about me, which actually caused me anxiety. Anyway, I just realized that the behavior that we have or the way we act as a human person was also depends on how our parents raised us.
