Ainsworth BE

Ainsworth BE, or the Ainsworth Strange Situation, refers to a psychological framework developed by Mary Ainsworth in the 1970s to study attachment styles in children. In this structured observational study, infants are placed in a series of situations involving separations and reunions with their caregivers. The children's reactions help identify their attachment styles: secure, anxious-ambivalent, or avoidant. This research has been foundational in understanding how early relationships influence emotional development and behavior in later life, emphasizing the importance of secure attachments for healthy psychological growth.