Shaffer stages of attachment

• what is the asocial attachment stage

  -Schaffer

  -first attachment stage

  -up to 8 weeks

  -treat humans differently to objects
• what is the indiscriminate attachment stage?

  -Schaffer

  -second attachment stage

  -2 - 7 months

  -can dustinguish difference between familiar and unfamiliar people
• what is the specific attachment stage?

  -Schaffer

  -third attachment stage

  -7 - 9 months

  -distinguish difference between care givers and strangers

  -separation anxiety
• what is the multiple attachment stage?

  -Schaffer

  -final attachment stage

  -9+ months

  -attachments develop with with other people (grandparents) although original attachment remains the strongest
• attachment stages strengths 


  + high ecological validity - observed in real life setting

  +longitudinal study over 18 months
• stages of attachment limitations

  • low population validity
  • may not be applicable to collectivist cultures such ass a Kenyan mother raising multiple children
• Glasgow baby study

  • SCGAFER AND EMERSON (1964)
  • AIM: analyse infant interactions with care givers to establish if and when infants start to display separation anxiety
  • PROCEDURE: studied 60 babies for 18 months (longitudinal)
  • visited monthly
  • RESULTS: by 10 months old, most had multiple attachments and mother was main attachment figure for half the babies the they were 18 months and the father for the rest
  • CONCLUSION: being responsive (playing and communicating) is more important in attachment than physical care
  • led to Schaffers 4 stages of attachment