schaffers stages of attachment

• • schaffer and emerson (1964) carried out a study on 60 glaswegian infants (31 male,29 female) and their working class families
  • researchers visited once a month for a year and again when babies were 18 months
  • data gathered using observations
  • babies passed through four stages of attachment
  • mothers were interviewed
• Asocial stage (0-6 weeks)

  • don’t discriminate between humans
  • preference for humans over non humans
• indiscriminate attachment (6weeks-6 months)

  • more sociable
  • can tell people apart so stronger bonds grow with familiar adults
  • no fear of strangers
• specific attachments (7-10 months)

  • strong displays of separation anxiety
  • distress in company of strangers
• multiple attachments (10-11 months onwards)

  • attachment with primary carer grows
  • increased interest in developing bonds with others
• findings of schaffer and emerson

  • between 25 and 32 weeks about 50% showed signs of separation anxiety towards a particular adult
  • attachments were to give the caregiver who was most interactive and sensitive to infant signals and facial expressions (reciprocity)
  • by the age of 40 weeks, 80% of babies had a specific attachment and almost 30% displayed multiple attachments
• strenght of schaffer and emersons research

  high ecological validity as data was collected in homes
• weaknesses of schaffer and emersons research

  subjectivity/bias: mothers interviews

  temporal validity: carried out in 1960

  cultural bias: only reflects one culture