shafers stages of attachment

• Who did Schaffer and Emerson study?

  60 babies from mostly working-class families in Glasgow
• Where were the children studied and for how long?

  Visited at home every month for the first year and again at 18 months.
• The researchers were trying to measure attachment. What behaviours did they measure?

  Separation anxiety and stranger anxiety
• How did Schaffer and Emerson measure separation and stranger anxiety?


  They asked the mothers questions
• What is separation anxiety?

  The distress shown by an infant when they are separated from their primary caregiver.
• What is stranger anxiety?

  The distress shown by an infant when they encounter unfamiliar adults.
• Between 25 and 32 weeks of age, about 50% of the babies showed what?


  Signs of separation anxiety towards a particular adult, usually the mother (specific attachment)
• Attachment tended to be to the caregiver who?

  Was most interactive and sensitive to infant signals and facial expressions (i.e.reciprocity). This was not necessarily the person with whom the infant spent most time.
• By the age of 40 weeks, what percentage of children had a specific attachment?

  80%
• By the age of 40 weeks, what percentage of children had multiple attachments?

  30%
• What are the four stages that Schaffer and Emerson identified?

  Asocial. Indiscriminate. Specific. Multiple
• What is the Asocial Stage?


  Infants are happier in the presence of humans than being alone. Their behavior towards humans and non-human objects is similar.
• What is the Indiscriminate Attachment stage?

  Where infants show a preference for people over inanimate objects. They recognize and prefer familiar people.
• What is the Specific Attachment stage?

  The primary attachment formed by an infant towards a particular adult, usually the mother. Shows stranger and separation anxiety
• What is the Multiple Attachments stage?

  Secondary attachments formed by an infant with familiar adults they spend time with, in addition to their primary attachment.
• How does Schaffer and Emerson have a limited sample?

  Mostly working class families in Glasgow
• Why is a limited sample a weakness?

  Makes the results harder to generalise
• Because the results are harder to generalise, what cannot be concluded?

  If the same stages of attachment would be found in different areas or in families of different economic status
• Does Schaffer and Emerson have low or high ecological validity?

  High2 multiple choice options
• Why does Schaffer and Emerson have high ecological validity?

  Visited the babies and mothers at home
• Why is high ecological validity a strength of Schaffer and Emerson?

  The Stages of Attachment are likely to be representative of infants behaviours in real world settings
• Schaffer and Emerson is a longitudinal study. Is this a strength or weakness?


  Strength2 multiple choice options
• How is Schaffer and Emerson a longitudinal study?

  Studied the same babies every months for one year and then followed up again at 18 months
• Why is Schaffer and Emerson being longitudinal a strength?

  No participant variables
• Schaffer and Emerson used a self-report to gather data from the mothers. Is this a strength or weakness?

  Weakness2 multiple choice options
• How is Schaffer and Emerson using a self-report to gather data from the mothers a weakness?


  Social desirability bias