Stages of Attachment - Schaffer

• What was the aim of Schaffer and Emmerson's Study in 1964

  To find out when attachment began or how attachments developed gradually.
• What are the 2 sets of behaviour Schaffer and Emmerson aimed to collect?

  • Seperation anxiety
  • Stranger Distress
• What was the procedure for this study?

  • 60 babies from Glasgow were used.
  • Regular visitations happened in the 1st year of the babies lives.
  • Schaffer and Emmerson returned after 18 months.
  • Observation and Interviewing was used.
  • The mothers/carers were asked various questions from "how did they react to new faces", "how do they react when left alone in their cot", and "rate their behaviour using a 4 point scale of how they react to certain situations"
• What were Schaffer and Emmerson Findings?

  • Threshold for when attachment develops is when a baby starts showing separation anxiety after their mom/carer had left.
  • Most babies started showing separation anxiety around 6-8 months - showing an attachment had been formed or began.
  • Multiple attachments were formed after this
• What were the findings for Schaffer and Emmerson's study at different months?

  • 7 months - 29% had multiple attachment. This is 10% more than 5 attachment.
  • 10 months - 59% had multiple attachments
  • 18 months - 87% had multiple attachment. This is 33% more than 5 attachment.
• Between what months does 1st attachment occur according to Schaffer and Emmerson.

  6-8 months
• What percentage of children had their mom as their main attachment figure at 18 months?

  65%
• When did most children begin to form attachment?

  7 months
• Who are children more likely to get attached to according to Schaffer and Emmerson's study?

  Those who are emotionally responsive
• What percentage of children were attached to those who do not feed them?

  40%
• What was the first stage of attachment identified by Schaffer?

  ASOCIAL
• How long does the ASOCIAL stage last?

  0 - 6 weeks
• What happens in the ASOCIAL stage?

  Babies display innate behaviours that ensure proximity to any potential caregiver.

  Because their perceptual ability is limited, they will also show these behaviours to non-human objects.

  Anyone can comfort them because they do not prefer nay individual caregiver.
• What is the second stage identified by Schaffer

  INDISCRIMINATE ATTACHMENT
• What happens in the INDISCRIMINATE ATTACHMENT PHASE?

  Infants develop ability to tell the difference between human and objects and between familiar and unfamiliar faces.

  • Smiling more at those they see frequently.

  Do not yet show stranger anxiety or seperation anxiety.
• When does INDISCRIMINATE ATTACHMENT form?

  6 weeks to 7 months
• What is the 3 stage identified by Schaffer?

  Specific Attachment
• What happens in SPECIFIC ATTACHMENT?

  Babies form a strong attachment to primary caregiver.

  It is at this stage that separation anxiety and stranger anxiety develop.
• When does SPECIFIC ATTACHMENT form?

  7-9 months
• What was the 4 stage Identified by Schaffer?

  MULTIPLE ATTACHMENT
• What happens at MULTIPLE ATTACHMENT stage?

  The infant starts to form attachment with regular caregivers and stranger anxiety starts to decrease.
• When do infants form Multiple attachment?

  10/11 months
• CRITICISM OF SCHAFFER AND EMERSON STUDY

  Not Generalisable

  It only included working class mothers in 1960s Glasgow.

  • This culture not representative of the whole UK let alone rest of the world.

  Lack temporal validity as child wearing practices have changes significantly in the last 60 years.
• EVALUATION - STRENGTH

  High level of MUNDANE REALISM

  As infants and their families were observed in their own homes, the study had high level of mundane realism; the experience for the infants was normal.

  • Strangers visiting the family home and the caregiver temporarily leaving the room is also normal.

  This suggest behaviour was valid- RELIABILITY