Schaffers stages of attachment

• Method

  • Observed 60 babies from Glasgow for 18 months - observed interactions between baby and caregiver
  • Mothers were visited once a month for the first year and then again at 18 months
  • They asked mothers questions about how the babies reacted in 7 everyday separations (e.g an adult leaving the room) - this measured separation anxiety
  • They assessed how babies reacted to unfamiliar adults (stranger anxiety)
  • after 25-32 weeks of age 50% of babies showed separation anxiety towards their mother
• Asocial

  • Birth to 8 weeks
  • The behaviour between human and non human objects are very similar
  • Infants can recognise specific faces
  • Happier with humans then alone
  • Will smile at everyone but prefer familiar
• Indiscriminate

  • 2-7 months
  • Recognise and prefer familiar people
  • Smile more at familiar faces more than non familiar faces
  • A preference to people over intimate objects but they will accept comfort from anyone as they don’t have stranger anxiety
• Specific attachment

  • 7-12 months
  • Infant shows distinct protest when a particular person puts them down (separation anxiety)
  • Show happiness and joy when that person returns and is comforted by them (primary attachment)
  • have Stranger anxiety
  • Schaffer and Emerson stated that primary attachment isn’t necessarily the person the infant spends most time with, it’s quality over quantity
  • 65% of infants primary attachment are to their mothers, 30% to mother and an object and 3% to a father
• multiple attachments

  • 1+ years
  • main attachment is formed and a wider circle of multiple attachments depending on consistent relationships
  • Schaffer and Emerson found that within one month becoming attached 29% of infants had multiple attachments (secondary attachments)
  • Within 6 months this had risen to 78%
  • By a year majority of infants had developed multiple attachments