4 scales of infant-caregiver interactive behavior
During reunion
- proximity and contact seeking
- contact maintaining
- resistance to contact and interaction
- avoidance
Proximity-seeking
In reunion
Regain (or gain) contact or proximity
intensity of baby’s effort to regain contact/proximity with caregiver
1-7 scale (highest is strongest attempt)
contact maintaining
during reunion
active effort to maintain contact
contact resistence
during reunion
resistance to contact or proximity/push away
contact avoidance
avoidance of proximity and interaction
Secure Attachment
letter to clarify and percentage of infants
- B
- 65% normative infants
Secure (B) infant behavior in SSP
- readily seperate, absorbed in toy play
- rarely wary of stranger, may check with caregiver
- may or may not be distressed in seperation
- show clear preference for caregiver
- may accept contact from stranger, but leaves when call from caregiver
- no reluctance to re-engage with caregiver - no mixture of anger, rejection with contact seeking
Secure (B) infant distressed reunion
- go directly to caregiver
- actively seek contact, maintain until settled
- often cling, sink in, otherwise show desire for contact and its effectiveness in providing comfort
- recovery from overly aroused state smooth, steady, and carried to completion
Secure (B) infant non-distressed reunion
- typically don’t seek physical contact or reunion
- smile, bounce, vocalize, show toy, actively seeking interaction
- happy to see caregiver
Insecure-Ambivalent/Resistant
letter to clarify, percentage of infants
- C
- 10-15% normative infants
Insecure-Ambivalent/Resistant (C) behavior in SSP
- exhibit poverty of exploration and wariness of stranger, perhaps needing contact even before seperation
- distressed by seperation and unable to be settled by stranger
- Upon reunion, still show difficulty settling
- stiffen body, kick, push away offered toys, squirm to get down - cry to be picked up again
- although they seek contact, in some ways they also resist it (clear ambivalence), or simply cry and fuss in passive way
- they cannot effectively use caregiver for emotional regulation
do not thoroughly settle, do not return to involved exploratoion/play
Insecure-Avoidant
letter to clarify and percentage
- A
- 20% normative infants
Insecure-Avoidant (A) behavior in SSP
- seperate readily to play, play may be superficial
- generally show low wariness of stranger
- upset only if left alone
- upon reunion with caregiver, show no more than casual greeting, may ignore or look away from, turn away from, or move away from caregiver
- do not initatiate interaction, not responsive to caregiver’s attempts at interaction
- not overtly distressed during reunions, but do show compromised ability to explore during seperation
Disorganized/Disoriented
letter to clarify and percentage
- D
- 10-15% normative infants
Disorganized/Disoriented (D) in SSP
- show diverse set of behaviors characterized by sometimes momentary disruption or contradiction in flow of behavior
- underlying A B C classification often remains detectable and matches that of mother’s attachment classification
What are the 7 indices of disorganition/disorientation?
Main & Solomon, 1990
- Sequential display of contradictory behavior patterns
- Simultaneous display of contradictory behavior patterns
- Undirected, misdirected, incomplete, and interrupted movements and expressions
- Stereotypies, assymetrical movements, mistimed movements, and anamalous postures
- Freezing, stilling, and slowed movements and expressions
- Direct indices of apprehension regarding the parent
- Direct indices of disorganiztion or disorientation
