Schaffer and Emerson 1964

• Aim - to identify stages of attachment and find a pattern in the development of attachment between infants and parents.
• Procedure - analysed interactions between 60 infants from Glasgow and carers. they interviewed the carers, the mother had to keep a diary tracking the infants behaviours.
• Procedure - they analysed separation anxiety, stranger anxiety, and social referencing.
• The study lasted 18 months, and they visited the infants on a monthly basis and at the end of the 18 month period.
• Found that 65% were attached to just their mother, 30% mother and another, usually the father, and 3% father only.
• Separation distress was evident in most infants from 6 - 8 months, stranger anxiety started around 1 month later.
• Strong attachments developed between babies and mothers of the mother was responsive and sensitive to the babies needs.
• Most infants developed multiple attachment’s at 18 months old, 87% had atleast 2 and 31% had 5 or more.
• Asocial, pre attachment = Birth - 3 months, no discrimination between humans, preference for humans over non humans.
• Indiscriminate = 3 - 7 months, can tell people apart, stronger bonds grow with familiar people, no fear of strangers.
• Specific attachment - 7 - 8 months, strong displays of separation anxiety and distress in the company of strangers.
• Multiple attachments = 9 - 10 month, attachment with primary carer grows, increases interest in developing bonds with others.