ABSTRACT
The popularity of the Strange Situation procedure is due in large measure to the pervasiveness of claims regarding its validity and reliability. The major evidence for claims regarding its validity is drawn from two sorts of studies. One body of studies is concerned with the relationship between Strange Situation behavior and subsequent behavior in a variety of settings with different social partners and a range of task demands. These studies of predictive validity are reviewed in Chapter 9. The other body of studies is concerned with the relationship between prior parent–infant interaction or parental behavior and subsequent Strange Situation behavior. These studies constitute the main basis for claiming that the Strange Situation assesses the quality of the infant–parent relationship. Simply put, the claim here is that sensitively responsive parental behavior produces secure (i.e., B-type) Strange Situation behavior, whereas insensitive parental behavior is associated with insecure (A-type or C-type) infantile behavior in the Strange Situation.
