Which procedure is used to study infant attachment by observing a child’s reactions during the caregiver’s temporary absence and the introduction of a stranger?

• A. The Strange Situation
• B. The Infant Separation Measure
• C. The Stranger Encounter Test
• D. The Separation-Delay Procedure

Answer: (A)

Studying infant attachment relies on watching how a child responds when the caregiver leaves briefly and a stranger is introduced, to see whether the child seeks comfort, clings, or explores away from the caregiver. The Strange Situation is the classic lab procedure for this. It places the infant through a series of short episodes that include the caregiver leaving, a stranger entering, and then the caregiver returning. Observers code behaviors such as distress during separation, closeness or avoidance when the caregiver returns, and how the child uses the caregiver as a secure base. These patterns help classify attachment styles like secure, insecure-avoidant, insecure-resistant, or disorganized. Other named procedures aren’t standard methods used to study infant attachment in this way, so the described setup clearly aligns with the Strange Situation.