Stages by Schaffer

• Asocial/Pre-attachment Stage (0-3 months)


  • Display innate social behaviours (e.g., grasping, sucking) but do not yet show obvious attachment behaviors
  • Preference for human company over objects + events (demonstrated by smiling at people's faces)
  • No separation/Stranger Anxiety
• Indiscriminate Attachment Stage (3-7/8 months)


  • Can differentiate between familiar + unfamiliar faces
  • Smile more at known people, but
  • Comforted indiscriminately
• Discriminate Attachment Stage (7/8-9 months)


  • Preference for 1 caregiver (display seperation + stranger anxiety)
  • Looks to particular people for security, comfort and protection
• Multiple Attachments Stage (9+ months)


  • Attachment behaviours are displayed towards several different people eg. siblings, grandparents etc.
• Schaffer (1996) identified patterns in the development of infant attachments, and proposed that it could be separated into 4 distinct stages