Ainsworth's 'Strange Situation'
Mary Ainsworth designed a controlled observation called the Strange Situation. It measures the strength and type of attachment between a young child and their caregiver.
Real World
In Ainsworth's original Baltimore study, a 12-month-old was placed in an unfamiliar room with toys. Observers behind a one-way mirror coded the child's reactions across eight three-minute episodes, including two separations from the mother and an encounter with a stranger.
Exam Focus
Describe the procedure before the findings — examiners often allocate separate AO1 marks for knowing what happens in each episode.
Evaluation Scaffold
A four-step framework for high-quality evaluation. Use this for 'assess', 'evaluate', and 'to what extent' questions.
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