schaffers stages of attachment

• what overall are the stages of attachment?

  a sequence of qualitative behaviours linked to certain behaviours
• what do schaffer and emerson say?

  can form multiple attachments
• what are the four stages?

  1. asocial
  2. indiscriminate
  3. specific
  4. multiple attachments
• what age is the asocial stage?

  up to six weeks after birth
• what are the two key features of the asocial stage?

  • no discrimination between humans
  • prefer humans over animals
• what age is the indiscriminate stage?

  six weeks to six months
• what are the three key features of the indiscriminate stage?

  • can tell people apart
  • stronger bonds form with familiar adults
  • no fear of strangers
• what age is the specific stage?

  around seven months
• what are the two key features of the specific stage?

  • strong displays of separation anxiety
  • signs of distress around strangers
• what age is the multiple attachments stage?

  around ten months
• what are the two key features of the multiple attachments stage?

  • attachment with PCG grows
  • increase interest in bonding with others
• what are the three types of behaviour?

  A, B and C
• what is type A?

  insecure avoidant
• what is type B?

  secure attachment
• what is type C?

  insecure resistant
• what % are insecure avoidant?

  20-25
• what % are secure?

  60-75
• what % are insecure reistant?

  3
• what are the features of insecure avoidant (A)?

  • didn't orientate towards mother while investigating
  • not concerned by mother's absence
  • little interest when mother returned
  • avoided stranger, but ignored the mother more on return
  • mother sometimes ignored the infants
• what are the features of secure (B)?

  • explore the room
  • subdued when mother left
  • happy when she returned
  • avoidant of stranger- but positive when mother was present
  • mothers were sensitive
• what are the features of insecure resistant (C)?

  • intense distress in mother's absence
  • rejected mother upon return
  • high stranger anxiety- ambivalent
  • mothers were ambivalent at first
• what measures quality of attachment study?

  • ainsworth and bell
  • observed mother and child- leave/ enter room etc.
  • separation anxiety, infant exploring, stranger anxiety, reunion behaviour
  • results: three attachment types
• what was schaffer and emerson method?

  • 60 babies- 31 male and 29 female
  • visited home once a month first year, and again at 18 months
  • asked mother what happened in certain situations (e.g. mother leave room)
  • results: at 25-32 weeks- 50% of babies showed separation anxiety
  • at 40 weeks- 80% had a specific attachment, and 30% had multiple attachments