concept

Strange Situation procedure

Also known as: Strange Situation study, Strange Situation task, Strange Situation experiment, Strange Situation Procedure

Facts (18)

Sources

Introduction to children's attachment - NCBI - NIH ncbi.nlm.nih.gov National Institute for Health and Care Excellence 6 facts

procedureThe Strange Situation Procedure (SSP) is a standard assessment used from the end of the first year of life to reliably categorize attachment patterns and behaviors.

measurementThe economic estimates for screening and treating disorganised attachment assume a cost of £29 per case for the Strange Situation Procedure (SSP), an average treatment cost of £2,265 per case, and an expected prevalence of 3%.

claimDisorganised attachment is assessed using the Strange Situation Procedure (SSP) administered by a trained, reliable coder, whereas an attachment disorder is diagnosed through a psychiatric assessment.

claimThe Main and Solomon indices and the classification of disorganised attachment in the Strange Situation Procedure (SSP) cannot be used to assess a child for maltreatment, as maltreatment cannot be inferred from infant disorganised attachment.

claimMary Ainsworth (1969) identified variation in parental sensitivity as a critical variable in determining a child's attachment security as assessed in procedures like the Strange Situation Procedure (SSP).

referenceThe Strange Situation Procedure (SSP) is an observational method used to assess an infant's attachment behavior toward their attachment figure following a significant stressor of separation, typically applied between the ages of 12 and 24 months.

Attachment Theory In Psychology Explained simplypsychology.org Simply Psychology May 20, 2025 4 facts

claimMary Main and Judith Solomon discovered the disorganized (fearful) attachment style in 1986, identifying a group of infants who did not fit into the secure, anxious, or avoidant categories during the Strange Situation experiment.

claimThe Strange Situation Procedure was developed by psychologist Mary Ainsworth to measure attachment relationships between infants aged 12 to 18 months and their caregivers.

claimThe Strange Situation Procedure was developed by psychologist Mary Ainsworth to measure attachment relationships between infants (12 to 18 months old) and their caregivers, typically mothers.

procedureThe Strange Situation Procedure involves observing an infant's behavior in a controlled, unfamiliar environment through a structured sequence of 8 stages: (1) The infant and caregiver enter a new playroom containing toys, and the infant is encouraged to explore. (2) A stranger enters and interacts gradually, first speaking with the caregiver, then approaching the infant. (3) The caregiver quietly leaves, briefly leaving the infant alone with the stranger. (4) The caregiver returns, offering comfort if needed, while the stranger exits. (5) The separation and reunion pattern is repeated, including leaving the infant briefly alone entirely and then again with the stranger.

Emotional Development and Attachment | Lifespan Development courses.lumenlearning.com Lumen Learning 4 facts

referenceChildren with disorganized attachment behave oddly in the Strange Situation experiment, such as freezing, running around the room in an erratic manner, or trying to run away when the caregiver returns.

claimIn the Strange Situation experiment, securely attached children exhibit distress when their caregivers leave the room, but demonstrate happiness upon the caregivers' return.

claimChildren with resistant attachment do not explore toys in the room because they appear too fearful, and they become extremely disturbed and angry with the parent during separation in the Strange Situation experiment.

claimWhen the parent returns in the Strange Situation experiment, children with resistant attachment are difficult to comfort.

John Bowlby's Attachment Theory - Simply Psychology simplypsychology.org Simply Psychology Apr 20, 2025 2 facts

referenceMary Ainsworth's Strange Situation study (1971, 1978) provides evidence for the existence of the internal working model, showing that secure children develop positive internal working models due to sensitive care, while insecure-avoidant children develop models seeing themselves as unworthy due to negative reactions from primary attachment figures.

claimMary Ainsworth's Strange Situation study (1971, 1978) provides evidence for the existence of the internal working model.

Sleep Across the Lifespan: A Neurobehavioral Perspective link.springer.com Springer Feb 5, 2025 1 fact

claimStudies using the Strange Situation task and the Attachment Q-sort procedure have not consistently linked parental attachment to infant sleep.

Attachment Theory - Seattle Anxiety Specialists seattleanxiety.com Seattle Anxiety 1 fact

referenceHertsgaard, Gunnar, Erickson, and Nachmias (1995) studied the adrenocortical responses to the strange situation procedure in infants with disorganized/disoriented attachment relationships.