Schaffers stages of attachment

• What are the 4 stages of attachment?

  • Asocial Stage
  • Indiscriminate stage
  • Specific attachments
  • Multiple attachments
• What is the Asocial stage?

  First few weeks

  Baby shows similar responses to objects and people, some preference for familiar people
• What is the Indiscriminate stage?

  2 - 7 months

  Preference for familiar people

  No stranger/separation anxiety
• What is the specific attachment stage?

  7 - 12 months

  Shows preference for primary caregiver and displays stranger and separation anxiety.

  Looks to particular person for comfort and security
• What is the multiple attachment stage?

  By 1 year

  Secondary attachments with other people
• How did Schaffer and Emerson investigate the stages of attachment?

  Visited 60 babies in their home from working class families in Glasgow for the first 12 months of their lives then once at 18 months

  Interviewed the mothers and observed babies for separation and stranger anxiety
• What were the findings of Schafer and Emerson's research?

  Support for attachment stages at around 25 weeks 50% showed separation anxiety, by 40 weeks 80% had a specific attachment and 30% started forming multiple attachments

  Evidence for the 4 stages as theorised