AO1

• Schaffer + Emerson (1964) Aim


  To investigate the development of attachment formation in infants
• Schaffer + Emerson (1964) Procedure Pt. 1

  
  

  Longitudinal study design, 60 Glaswegian babies from working class backgrounds

  1. Babies observed in their homes for the first 18 months of their life
  2. Researchers visited at monthly intervals, where:

  • Naturalistic observations were conducted, as well as
  • Interviews w/ mothers where questions regarding their infants' behaviour were asked (e.g. who they smiled at, responded to, what caused them distress)
• Schaffer + Emerson (1964) Procedure Pt. 2

  
  

  Strength of attachment was measured using 2 main behavioural categories

  • Separation Protest: assessed through several everyday situations (e.g. leaving baby alone in room, in a pram outside their house, in their cot at night)
  • Stranger Anxiety: researcher approached infant and recorded level of distress this caused
• Schaffer + Emerson (1964) Findings

  • at 7 months:
  • 50% of infants had formed a specific att. ->> evidenced by high lvls of separation anxiety toward a particular adult (usually mum)
  • at 10 months:
  • most infants had formed a specific att.
  • 30% had started to form multiple atts. (eg. dad)
  • at 18 months:
  • 87% had formed multiple atts.
  • 39% had a primary att. that was not to their main caregiver

  <3 Babies tended to form atts. to the caregiver who responded more sensitively, rather than who they spent the most time with.
• Schaffer + Emerson (1964) Conclusions


  • pattern in att. formation suggests the process is universal + biologically controlled
  • multiple atts. are the norm and are of similar quality
  • Schaffer (1996) later proposed that att. development could be separated into 4 distinct stages

  1. Asocial/Pre-att. stage (0-3 mnths)
  2. Indiscriminant stage (3-7/8 mnths)
  3. Discriminant stage (7/8-9 mnths)
  4. Multiple att. stage (9+ mnths)