Schaffer's stages of attachment

• what are Schaffer and Emerson(1964) stages of attachment


  asocial stage

  indiscriminate attachment

  specific attachment

  multiple attachments
• what was the procedure of Schaffer and Emerson

  60 babies from Glasgow in working class families

  31 boys, 29 girls

  longitudinal study, visited infants monthly

  lasted 18 months
• what did the study measure

  asked mothers questions about how their babies reacted to seven everyday separations e.g. adult leaving room

  measured the babies attachment

  also assessed stranger anxiety
• what were the findings of the study

  the first specific attachment was formed by 50% of infants around 7 months old

  65% of children= mother first attachment

  3%= father as first attachment
• what is the asocial stage

  first few weeks of life

  similar behaviour towards both humans and inanimate objects
• what is the indiscriminate attachment stage

  from 2 to 7 months

  display more obvious and observable social behaviours

  show clear preference of being with humans than inanimate objects

  recognise and prefer familiar people

  don't show separation or separation anxiety
• what is the specific attachment stage

  from around 7 months

  start to display classic signs of attachment towards one particular person

  stranger anxiety and separation anxiety

  formed specific attachment with primary attachment figure

  mother as first attachment= 65% of time
• what is the multiple attachment stage

  shortly after forming first attachment figure

  form secondary attachments

  form secondary attachment within month of forming primary = 29% of the time
• strengths of Schaffer and Emerson

  good external validity ( observations done my parents- babies true behaviours)

  practical application in day care for parents
• limitations of schaffer and emerson's reserach

  mothers as observers(bias and certain behaviours may be overlooked)

  lacks validity

  small sample size

  hard to study asocial stages as babies are so young

  lake generalisability( only in Glasgow and working class)