Caregiver infant interactions

• Schaffer and Emerson Studied 60 babies from the same housing estate in Glasgow over an 18

  month period (longitudinal study). The infants were all observed by their Primary Caregiver who kept a diary.

  There were various conditions the PCG's had to complete and take notes on for the diary.
• 50% of babies showed separation anxiety towards their PCG in the first 25-32 weeks This

  showed attachment had started. stranger anxiety followed within one month of attachment forming. The person who interacted with the child was the one who tended to become the PCG. Regardless of whether they fed the baby

  E.g In 37% of cases the mother was not the main pRIMARY CAREGIVER
• Shaffer found that after 18 months, 32% of children had at least 5 attachments the first still

  being the strongest
• Schaffer and Emerson study had high ecological validity
• Schaffer and emerson(+) Allowed for the development of the stages of attachment which are still influential and used today
• Schaffer and emmerson(+) As it is a longitudinal study we can see the development over time of the same infants, reducing individual differences
• (-) The mother was asked to self-report how the child responded and this could have led to demand characteristics. i.e she may not have reported all of her infant's behaviours to try and make herself look better
• (-) lacks Population validity as infants all from one specific area (glasgow)

  This means we may not be able to generalise to other caregivers-infants in other places