Which of the following was a limitation of Mary Ainsworth's work?

In the context of Mary Ainsworth's work, particularly the Strange Situation procedure, concerns regarding ethical considerations arise primarily due to the distressing situations that infants were placed in during the experiments. Critics have noted that leaving infants in a room without their mothers may have caused unnecessary stress or anxiety, which has led to debates about the ethics of such experimental designs, especially when involving vulnerable populations like infants. Ethical research practices have evolved significantly since Ainsworth's time, and today, greater emphasis is placed on ensuring that participants—regardless of age—are not put in distressing situations.

While Ainsworth's work yielded valuable insights into attachment styles (secure, anxious, avoidant), the ethical implications of her methods highlight important considerations in contemporary research design, especially in the fields of education and childcare.