Attachment and the Attachment and the Strange Situation Strange Situation

ExperimentExperiment

An infants tendency to seek An infants tendency to seek close, bonded emotional close, bonded emotional

relationships with particular relationships with particular people.people.

What happened in the What happened in the Strange Situation Strange Situation

Experiment?Experiment?

A mother leaves the child in the A mother leaves the child in the care of a strangercare of a stranger

When the mother returns the When the mother returns the child's reaction to the mother is child's reaction to the mother is observed..observed..

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3634664472704568591 ( 2:28) ( 2:28)

Securely AttachedSecurely Attached

The infant seeks The infant seeks out the mother out the mother and is comforted and is comforted by the mom’s by the mom’s presencepresence

60 -65 % of all 60 -65 % of all babiesbabies

Insecurely Attached- Insecurely Attached- AvoidantAvoidant

The infant avoids The infant avoids the mother upon the mother upon her returnher return

Approximately Approximately 20% of all babies 20% of all babies fall into this fall into this category.category.

Insecurely Attached- Insecurely Attached- AmbivalentAmbivalent

The infant shows The infant shows resistance to the resistance to the mother upon her mother upon her return OR seeks return OR seeks out the mother out the mother and then squirms and then squirms to get awayto get away

10 % of all babies10 % of all babies

DisorganizedDisorganized

These children These children are from abusive are from abusive homes. This can homes. This can be either be either physical, physical, emotional or emotional or sexual abuse.sexual abuse.

5 % of those 5 % of those tested.tested.

Why does attachment Why does attachment matter?matter?

Secure Secure Attachment = Attachment = These children These children respond well to respond well to challenges, are challenges, are social leaders, social leaders, and are eager to and are eager to learn.learn.

Insecure Insecure Attachment = Attachment = These children These children can be socially can be socially withdrawn, less withdrawn, less curious and curious and assertive.assertive.

Attachment and RomanceAttachment and Romance

Secure- Secure- Trust others in relationships, Trust others in relationships, form long term bondsform long term bonds

Avoidant-Avoidant- Can become Can become uncomfortable depending on others. uncomfortable depending on others. Are nervous in intimate relationships.Are nervous in intimate relationships.

AmbivalentAmbivalent- Can be anxious about - Can be anxious about the love of others. May cling or the love of others. May cling or become overly dependent. become overly dependent.

The EndThe End