Stages of attachment (Schaffer & Emerson)

• What study did Schaffer and Emerson do? (1964)

  They conducted a longitudinal study on 60 infants from Glasgow.

  • Children were between 5 and 23 weeks at the start of the study.
  • 31 males and 29 females, all from working-class homes.
  • Schaffer and Emerson observed their behaviour in monthly intervals for the first 18 months of their lives.
  • There were 7 different conditions (e.g., being put down after being held, left outside a shop in a pram).
• What was a strength of Schaffer and Emerson's study?

  Longitudinal study
• What was a strength of Schaffer and Emerson's study?

  Naturalistic observation
• What was a strength of Schaffer and Emerson's study?

  Real life application - day care/preschool ages
• What was a limitation of Schaffer and Emerson's study?

  Sample were children all from working-class households in Glasgow
• What was a limitation of Schaffer and Emerson's study?

  Biased self-assessment - mothers may report inaccurate results
• What is Separation anxiety?

  Children become anxious when they are separate from their caregiver (begin at 8 months)
• What is Stranger anxiety?

  Children become anxious when they begin to distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar people (begins at 8 months)
• What are the 4 stages of attachment?

  1. Asocial
  2. Indiscriminate
  3. Specific
  4. Multiple
• What is Asocial attachment and at what age does it start and finish?

  No discrimination between humans and have similar responses to all objects

  • Birth -> 6 weeks
• What is Indiscriminate attachment and at what age does it start and finish?

  Stronger bonds with familiar adults but still have no fear of strangers

  • 6 weeks -> 6 months
• What is Specific attachment and at what age does it start and finish?

  Start to display separation and stranger anxiety, and begin to form a specific attachment to their primary attachment figure

  • 7 months -> 11 months
• What is Multiple attachment and at what ages does it start?

  Have a stronger attachment with their primary carer, but have increased interest in developing bonds with others

  • 1 year +