Mary Ainsworth And This Psychologist’s Life

Mary Ainsworth was an American-Canadian psychologist who, together with John Bowlby, developed one of the foremost and most helpful psychological theories of early social development: attachment theory. Initially, they created this theory with only children in mind. But in the 60s and 70s, Ainsworth introduced new concepts that led to the inclusion of adults as well.

She was one of the most quoted psychologists of the 20th century. In fact, her brilliant theory is still one of the pillars on which several researchers and psychologists base their studies. Universities around the world use her work as an example. Furthermore, she has received several recognitions, even though she lived in an era where women were quite limited in their professional roles.

During his years at college, Ainsworth began to reflect on the attachment relationship that children usually form with their mother figure.

But Ainsworth’s life was not just about studies and questions. In fact, there was much more dynamism than we could expect from a woman at that time. Let’s take a deeper look at her life.

Mary Ainsworth and her life

Mary Ainsworth was born in the United States, but her family moved to Toronto, Canada, when she was just a little girl. She graduated in developmental psychology from the University of Toronto and received her doctorate in 1939. After completing her studies, she joined the Canadian Women’s Army and spent four years there.

Soon after, she married and moved to London with her husband. She then began working at the Tavistock Institute of Human Relations with psychologist John Bowlby. The two began experimenting with  separating children from their mothers.

In 1953 she moved to Uganda and began working at the East African Institute of Social Research. There she continued her research on the early relationship between mothers and sons.

After a while, she got a position at John Hopkins University in the USA, and she later started working at the University of Virginia. There she developed her theory of attachment, until she retired in 1984.

The attachment theory

John Bowlby is considered the father of attachment theory. Bowlby’s studies showed that children have an innate investigative behavior. Nevertheless, their first reaction will be to find their mother or caregiver at the first sign of danger. Mary Ainsworth added a new concept to this theory:  the alien situation.

Mary Ainsworth studied children’s relationship with their guardians by adding “the strange situation” in several different circumstances. It consists of  adding a stranger  to the mother and son context.

Based on the results she went through, she expanded the theory by coining three attachment styles: secure attachment, insecure-avoidant attachment and insecure-ambivalent / resistant attachment. Other researchers then continued to expand her theory. The attachment theory we have today is a result of other psychologists’ additions.

Mary Ainsworth and the different types of attachment

A fourth type of attachment was later included in the attachment theory. However, Mary Ainsworth defined only the following three:

• Secure connection:  when the child feels loved and protected. Even if the caregiver is absent and the child feels a certain anxiety when they are separated, it knows that the caregiver will return soon.
• Insecure-avoidant attachment:  when the child responds with intense anxiety to a separation from the mother or caregiver. It seems that this type of connection is the result of poor accessibility with the mother or the primary care provider. Children with this type of connection learn that the mother will not always be there when they need her.
• Insecure-ambivalent / resistant attachment:  this type of attachment develops when the primary caregiver does not meet the child’s needs in a consistent manner. These children develop a great sense of distrust and learn not to seek help in the future.

Her fantastic work

Mary Ainsworth became aware of the importance of developing a healthy relationship with her mother figure. She considered this important because it could affect the child in the future.

She advocated programs that could help women work and be mothers at the same time. At the time, in the name of honesty, it was almost impossible to do so, but nowadays we see it every day.

Access to academic studies, research programs, the world of work, etc. did not seem to be compatible with household chores, especially  those dictated by society  (being a wife and mother). For this reason, many believe that Ainsworth is one of the original figures in work and life programs for mothers.

As a female researcher, she knew that her work had to go beyond academia. She wants to help future women choose their own way of life.

Mary Ainsworth died in 1999 at the age of 86 after devoting her life to developing one of the most important psychological theories.