Stages of attachment

• What was the aim of Schaffer and Emerson's study?

  To identify stages of attachment/find a pattern in the development of an attachment between infants and parents
• How many participants were there in Schaffer and Emerson's study?

  60
• How many of the babies in Schaffer and Emerson's study were boys?

  31
• How many of the babies in Schaffer and Emerson's study were girls?

  29
• What type of study was Schaffer and Emerson's?

  Longitudinal
• How long did Schaffer and Emerson's study last?

  18 months
• Where were the participants in Schaffer and Emerson's study from?

  Glasgow
• What two behaviours did Schaffer and Emerson ask questions about in their study?

  Separation anxiety

  Stranger anxiety
• What did Schaffer and Emerson find in their study?

  Babies of caregivers who had 'sensitive responsiveness' were more likely to have formed an attachment
• What did Schaffer and Emerson find was more important than the amount of time spent with the baby in forming an attachmement?

  Sensitive responsiveness
• Which babies in Schaffer and Emerson's study had more intense attachments?

  Those who had parents who responded to their needs quickly
• Which babies in Schaffer and Emerson's study had very weak attachments?

  Those who had parents that did not interact with their child at all
• When did Schaffer and Emerson find attachments seemed to form?

  When the carer communicates and plays with the child
• What are Schaffer and Emerson's four stages of attachment?

  Asocial, indiscriminate attachment, specific attachment, multiple attachments
• What is the first stage of attachment?

  Asocial
• When is the asocial stage?

  0-8 weeks
• When is the indiscriminate attachment stage?

  2-7 months
• When is the specific attachment stage?

  7 months onwards
• How does the infant respond to objects and people in the asocial stage?

  Similarly
• Why did Schaffer and Emerson believe that the asocial stage isn't entirely asocial?

  Babies show signs they prefer to be with other people
• What type of people do babies tend to show a preference for in the asocial stage?

  Familiar people
• What are babies in the asocial stage easily comforted by?

  Familiar people
• What is the baby forming in the asocial stage?

  Bonds with certain people
• What do babies display in the indiscriminate attachment stage?

  More obvious and observable social behaviour
• What do babies show a clear preference for in the indiscriminate attachment stage?

  People
• What don't babies show in the indiscriminate attachment stage?

  Seperation/stranger anxiety
• Who do babies usually accept cuddles and comfort from in the indiscriminate attachment stage?

  Any adult
• What do babies in the indiscriminate attachment stage recognise and prefer?

  The company of a familiar person
• What do babies show in the specific attachment stage?

  Separation/stranger anxiety
• Who is the specific attachment in the specific attachment stage?

  Primary caregiver
• By what age did most infants in Schaffer and Emerson's study form multiple attachments?

  1
• What do babies in the multiple attachment stage show?

  Attachment to more than one adult
• What are multiple attachments known as in the multiple attachment stage?

  Secondary attachments
• How soon do secondary attachments form in the multiple attachment stage?

  Quickly
• What percentage of babies had secondary attachments within one month of forming a specific attachment?

  29%
• What did Schaffer and Emerson base their stage theory on?

  An observational study
• Strength: Schaffer and Emerson's research

  What? Good external validity

  Who? Most observations made by parents - undistracting (babies less anxious)

  Why? Natural behaviour
• Strength: Schaffer and Emerson's research

  What? Real-world application - day care

  Who? Day care = straightforward in indiscriminate attachment stage

  Day care = problematic in specific attachment stage

  Why? Use of day care can be planned
• Limitation: Schaffer and Emerson's research

  What? Poor evidence for the asocial stage

  Who? Babies displayed anxiety subtly (hard-to-observe)

  Why? Babies falsely appear asocial
• Counterpoint (Good external validity): Schaffer and Emerson's research

  What? Problems w/ asking mothers to be observers

  Who? Biased in terms of what they noticed

  Why? Behaviour not accurately recorded