Stages of attachment

• Who studied Glaswegian infants' attachment types?

  Schaffer and Emerson
• How often did Schaffer and Emerson visit each house?

  Every month for the first year and again in 18 months
• Who did Schaffer and Emerson interview about the infants' behaviour?

  The mother
• What stages of attachment did Schaffer and Emerson create based on their study?

  • Pre-attachment - birth to 3 months
  • Indiscriminate attachment - 3 months to 7 months
  • Discriminate attachment - 7 months onwards
  • Multiple attachments - 9 months onwards
• What were the strengths of Schaffer and Emerson's research?

  • High ecological validity - natural environment
  • Valid sample - half boys half girls
  • Comprehensive stages
• What are the limitations of Schaffer and Emerson's research?

  • Demand characteristics - the mothers being dishonest (social desirability)
  • Sample reduces ecological validity - all from Glasgow and same class
  • Reductionist model - attachment is more complex than this
• What was the traditional role of the father?

  Fathers typically went to work while the mothers stayed at home and cared for any children
• What did Grossman's study suggest about the role of the father?

  Father and child attachments are more based on play and stimulation and less to do with nurturing
• What did Tiffany Field's research suggest about the role of the father?

  When fathers are primary caregivers they take on a more nurturing role, meaning fathers can have more than just a 'stimulation' role
• What are the issues with research surrounding the role of the father in attachment?

  • Temporal validity - mothers and fathers have changed overtime
  • Inconsistent findings - psychologists searching for different things