Schaffer’s Stages of Attachment

• Stage 1: Asocial stage

  In the first few weeks of life a baby's observable behaviour towards humans & inanimate objects is fairly similar. Schaffer & Emerson didn't believe that they're entirely asocial; they prefer the presence of other people eg. smile. Babies also tend to show a preference for the company of familiar people and are move easily comforted by them. The baby forms bonds with certain people & these form the basis of later attachment.
• Stage 2: Indiscriminate stage

  From 2-7 months babies start to display more obvious & observable behaviour eg. they can show a clear preference for being with other humans than inanimate objects. They also recognise and prefer the company of familiar people. However babies usually don't care who cuddles or comfort come from - indiscriminate. They tend to show no separation anxiety when caregivers leave their presence or stranger anxiety in the presence of unfamiliar people.
• Stage 3: Specific attachment

  From around 7 months, babies start to display the classic signs of attachment towards one particular person. These signs include separation & stranger anxiety. The baby is said to have formulated a specific attachment with a primary attachment figure. This person isn't necessarily who spends most time with the baby but the one who offers the most interaction and responds to the baby's signals with the most skill. The baby's mother is the case 65% of the time.
• Stage 4: Multiple attachments

  Shortly after babies start to show attachment behaviour - such as separation & stranger anxiety-towards one person they usually extend this behaviour to create multiple attachments with other people whom they regularly spend time. (secondary attachments) Schaffer & Emerson observed that 29% of the children formed secondary attachments within a month of forming a primary attachment. By the age of 1 most babies had developed multiple attachments.
• Research 1/2

  Schaffer and Emerson based their stage theory on an observational study of the formation of early infant -adult attachments. The study involved 60 babies - 31 male, 29 female - all from Glasgow and the majority from skilled working class families. Researchers visited babies & their mothers in their own homes every month for the first year & then again in 18 months.
• Research 2/3

  The mothers were asked questions about the kind of protest their babies showed in every day separations (separation i stranger anxiety). These were designed to measure the babies attachment. Schaffer & Emerson identified & stages in the development of infant attachment behaviour.