Schaffer's Stages

• Stages of Attachment Study:

  A longitudinal study was completed in Scotland by Schaffer and Emerson (1964) that followed the development of attachments in 60 infants. using naturalistic observations the infants were observed every 4 weeks for up to 1 year and then observed once more at 18 months = 13 observations.
• How was Attachment measured?

  1. Levels of separation protest
  2. Stranger Anxiety
• How was Levels of separation protest measured?

  By asking Mothers to describe the intensity of any protest when an infant was left in 7 everyday situations (e.g. being left alone in a room, or with people), which was then rated on a 4 point scale.
• How was Levels of Stranger Anxiety measured?

  By assessing infants' response to strangers which was then rated by the mothers on a 4 point scale of intensity of protest and who this was directed at.
• What were the results of the study?

  • 50% of the children showed their first specific attachment between 6-8 months, and this normally was the mother. Fear of strangers began about a month later in all the children.
  • At about 7 months, 29% of the children had already formed several attachments simultaneously, with 10% having 5 attachments figures - e.g. father, grandparent, older sibling. By 10 months 50% had more than one attachment and by 18 months that figure was 87%.
  • 39% of the infants who had a primary attachment with someone other than the person who usually fed, bathed and changed them.
• What was the conclusion of this study?

  • Attachments develop with time, positively correlated with age, as we get older we form more attachments.
  • Fear of strangers appears just after we have formulated attachments to caregivers / PAF.
  • MOST kids have multiple attachments, but no the 'one' (BUT the one, may not be the feeder!).
• What was developed based of the findings?

  Schaffer and Emerson developed a stage theory: Stages of Attachment.
• What was the Stages of Attachment?

  1. Asocial Stage / Pre-Attachment (0-5 weeks)
  2. Indiscriminate Attachment Stage (2-7 months)
  3. Specific Attachment Stage (7-11 months)
  4. Multiple Attachments (11+ months)
• What is the Asocial Stage / Pre-Attachment?

  Infant produces similar responses to objects and people: e.g. smiling and laughing. They show no preference for specific people but towards the end of the stage they show a preference for social stimuli: e.g. a smiling face.
• What is the Indiscriminate Attachment Stage?

  Babies become more social, can tell people apart and prefer to be in human company. They ca distinguish between familiar faces and unfamiliar people, but are still relatively easily comforted by anyone. Infants in this stage do not show stranger anxiety.
• What is the Specific Attachment Stage?

  Infants begin to show separation anxiety and stranger anxiety. They show a strong attachment and preference to one individual (normally the PAF). However, good subsequent attachments are often made from 9 months.
• What is Multiple Attachments?

  The baby now makes several attachments to important people in their life. Infants also display attachment anxiety in these secondary attachments.
• Multiple Attachments:

  Schaffer's and Emerson research found:

  • Infants form multiple attachments around 10/11 months.
  • By 18 months, only 13% of infants had only a single attachment.
  • 31% had 5 or more attachments (Grandparents, siblings, other significant people).

  Suggests infants ca form multiple attachments if the opportunity arises.