Coding Form Example For Coder Name Olive Coding Categories E

Coding Form Examplecoder Nameolivecoding Categoriesepisode

Coding Form Example Coder name Olive Coding Categories Episode Proximity Contact Resistance Avoidance Mother and baby play alone Mother puts baby down Stranger enters room Mother leaves room, stranger Plays with baby Mother reenters, greets and May comfort baby, then Leaves again Stranger tries to play with baby Mother reenters and picks up baby The coding categories are: Proximity The baby moves toward, grasps, or climbs on the adult. Maintaining Contact The baby resists being put down by the adult by crying or trying to climb back up Resistance The baby pushes, hits, or squirms to be put down from the adult’s arms. Avoidance The baby turns away or moves away from the adult. The is a coding sheet from an episode of the stranger situation in which an infant around 1 yr. of age is observed playing in a room with two adults—the child’s mother and a stranger. Each of the four coding categories is scored by the coder from 1=the baby makes no effort to engage in the behavior to 7= the baby makes an extreme effort to engage in the behavior.

Paper For Above instruction

The Stranger Situation is a psychological experiment developed by Mary Ainsworth to observe attachment behaviors in infants. It is a structured observational procedure that assesses the quality of attachment between a caregiver and a child by introducing a series of separations and reunions with the caregiver and a stranger. The application of coding schemas in this context allows researchers to quantify the infant’s behavioral responses, providing insights into their attachment style, emotional regulation, and social development.

In the scenario described, an infant approximately one year old is observed in a controlled environment alongside their mother and a stranger. The observations involve specific episodes, including free play, separation, and reunion phases, during which various attachment-related behaviors are coded according to predefined categories: Proximity, Maintaining Contact, Resistance, and Avoidance. These categories serve as indicators of the infant’s comfort level, dependence, and exploration tendencies, which are essential in classifying attachment patterns as secure, avoidant, resistant, or disorganized.

Attachment Behaviors and Their Coding

The coding categories used in this particular observation derive from established attachment theory and are essential for operationalizing nuanced behaviors into quantifiable data. The 'Proximity' category, for example, captures behaviors where the infant actively seeks closeness with the caregiver by moving toward or physically grasping them, reflecting secure attachment tendencies. This behavior indicates trust and comfort in the caregiver’s presence, especially during stressful or novel situations.

The category of 'Maintaining Contact' focuses on the infant’s resistance to being separated or put down by the caregiver. High scores in this category, such as attempts to climb back or crying when removed, suggest a strong attachment bond and an inclination to maintain proximity. Such behaviors are characteristic of securely attached infants who seek reassurance from their caregivers.

'Resistance' is coded when infants push, hit, or squirm in an effort to be released from the caregiver’s embrace. These behaviors often emerge in resistant or ambivalent attachment patterns, where the infant exhibits conflicting behaviors—seeking comfort but also resisting it, perhaps due to inconsistent caregiving or heightened anxiety.

Finally, 'Avoidance' pertains to behaviors where the infant turns away or actively moves away from the caregiver, indicating an avoidant attachment style. Such infants typically display independence but may also suppress attachment needs when experience suggests that caregiving is unreliable or unresponsive.

Scoring and Interpretation

Each behavior within these categories is scored on a 7-point scale, with 1 indicating no effort to engage in the behavior and 7 representing an extreme effort. This ordinal scale allows researchers to quantify the intensity of each behavioral response, facilitating statistical analysis and comparison across subjects or groups.

For example, a high score in Proximity (e.g., 6 or 7) suggests a strong desire for closeness, which is typical in securely attached infants. Conversely, a low score (e.g., 1 or 2) might suggest a more avoidant or detached response. Similarly, scores in 'Resistance' and 'Avoidance' provide nuanced insights into the infant’s emotional states and attachment style.

Utility in Research and Practice

The precise coding of attachment behaviors is invaluable both for research and clinical practice. Researchers utilize this data to study developmental trajectories, effects of caregiving environments, and factors influencing attachment security. Clinicians may utilize similar observational assessments to identify attachment-related issues and guide interventions aimed at fostering secure relationships.

Overall, the structured coding of infant behaviors in the Stranger Situation provides reliable, quantifiable data that enhances our understanding of early social-emotional development. It underscores the importance of sensitive caregiving and consistent interactions in fostering healthy attachment bonds, which are foundational to later social competence and emotional well-being.

Conclusion

The coding sheet described exemplifies a systematic approach to assessing infant attachment behaviors through observable actions. By operationalizing complex emotional and social behaviors into standardized categories and scoring scales, researchers can draw meaningful conclusions about the nature of the infant’s attachment style and developmental progress. Such assessments remain central in developmental psychology, informing both theory and practice aimed at promoting healthy emotional development from infancy onward.

References

• Ainsworth, M. D., Blehar, M. C., Waters, E., & Wall, S. (1978). Patterns of attachment: A psychological study of the strange situation. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
• Attachment and loss: Vol. 1. Attachment. Basic Books.
• Developmental Psychology, 28(5), 759–775.
• Handbook of attachment: Theory, research, and clinical applications. Guilford Publications.
• Developmental Psychobiology, 42(4), 287–296.
• Family Process, 38(2), 151–175.
• Attachment beyond infancy (pp. 95–124). Ablex Publishing.
• Child Development, 76(1), 264–270.
• Child Development, 59(1), 147–156.
• Theories of Attachment (pp. 102–123). Routledge.