Discovering the Attachment Styles in Infants: The Legacy of Mary Ainsworth

Mary Ainsworth

developmental psychology; compared effects of maternal separation, devised patterns of attachment; “The Strange Situation”: observation of parent/child attachment

Mary Ainsworth was a well-known developmental psychologist who made significant contributions to the field of attachment theory. She is best known for her work on the Strange Situation experiment, which helped define four different attachment styles: secure, avoidant, resistant, and disorganized.

Ainsworth was born in 1913 in Ohio and received a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Toronto in 1939. She was a student of John Bowlby, who is considered the founder of attachment theory. After completing her doctoral work, Ainsworth worked as a researcher and instructor at both the University of Toronto and Johns Hopkins University.

In the 1960s, Ainsworth developed the Strange Situation experiment, which was designed to test the attachment styles of infants and young children. During the experiment, the child was briefly separated from their caregiver in a controlled setting, and the child’s reactions were observed upon their reunion with the caregiver. She discovered that the way an infant responded to separation from their caregiver depended on the quality of the attachment between them. Those with secure attachments displayed distress upon separation from their caregiver, but were able to be comforted and resumed exploring upon reunion. Those with insecure attachments had varied reactions, including avoiding their caregiver or being clingy and resistant when reunited.

Ainsworth’s work on attachment styles has helped shape our understanding of how early experiences with caregivers can affect a person’s development and relationships later in life. She passed away in 1999, but her legacy lives on through her many contributions to developmental psychology.

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