A research technique developed by American psychologist Mary Ainsworth and used in the assessment of attachment.

The Strange Situation procedure, developed by American psychologist Mary Ainsworth, is widely used in child development research. The goal of the Strange Situation procedure was to provide an environment that would arouse in the infant both the motivation to explore and the urge to seek security. An observer (often a researcher or therapist) takes a mother and her child (usually around the age of 12 months) to an unfamiliar room containing toys. A series of eight separations and reunions are staged involving mild, but cumulative, stress for the infant (see accompanying table). Separation in such an unfamiliar setting would also likely activate the child's attachment system and allow for a direct test of its functioning. Although no single behavior can be used to assess the quality of the infant's attachment to...