What was Mary Ainsworth trying to determine when she devised an experimental method called the "strange situation"?

A) the nature of gestural communication between mothers and babies
B) aspects of purposeful exploration as the baby investigates a strange environment
C) parental discipline styles in the first year of life
D) the nature of attachment between caretakers and babies

Mary Ainsworth devised the "strange situation" to determine the nature of attachment between caretakers and babies. This experiment involved observing a child's behavior when temporarily separated from their caregiver and then reunited with them. Ainsworth identified three main styles of attachment: secure attachment, insecure-avoidant attachment, and insecure-resistant/ambivalent attachment.