Stages of Attachment

• Asocial Stage (0 - 6 Weeks)

  Display innate behaviours e.g. crying, smiling

  • Anyone can comfort
• Indiscriminate Stage (6 wks - 7 mths)


  Develop ability to tell the difference between individuals, smiling at more frequent caregivers
• Specific Stage (7 - 9 months)


  Strong attachment to primary caregiver

  • Stranger and seperation anxiety begin to develop during this time
• Multiple Stage (9 months+)


  Attachments with regular caregivers

  • Stranger anxiety decreases
• (+) A03: Schaffer + Emerson (1964)


  Longitudinal study of 60 Glasgow Babies

  • Seperation anxiety occured between 25 - 32 weeks, and stranger anxiety started 1 month later
  • 18 month follow-up said 87% of babies had formed multiple attachments, the strongest being with the mother
• (+) A03: High Mundane Realism

  High Mundane Realism due to studies being done in infants home
• (-) A03: Not Generalisable

  Due to the sample being working-class mothers from Glasgow, the sample isn't representative and not generalisable; also lacking in temporal validity