Attachment : Schaffer stages of attachment.

• What was the aim of Schaffers study ?


  To investigate wether the formation of early attachment, in particular the age at which they developed their emotional intensity and to whom they were directed.
• Schaffer’s method

  • 60 babies , 31m, 29f, Glasgow, Wc families.
  • Researcher visited babies & mothers in own home every months for 1st year & again at 18 months.
  • asked mother questions ab kind of protest their babies showed in 7 everyday separations, e.g. adult leaving room (measure of separation anxiety).
  • designed to measure babies attachments.
  • also assessed stranger anxiety.
• Schaffers findings

  Identified 4 distinct stages in development of attachment
• Schaffers stages of attachment

  • Stage 1 - Asocial - 0 to 2 months.
  • Stage 2 - Indiscriminate attachment - 2 to 7 months.
  • Stage 3 - Specific attachments - Around 7 months.
  • Stage 4 - Multiple attachments- 8+ months.
• Stage 1 : Asocial - 0 to 2 Months

  • Behaviour towards humans & inanimate objects is similar (asocial).
  • Not entirely asocial as show signs they prefer to be with people.
  • Preference for and easily comforted by familiar people.
  • Starts to form bonds.
• Stage 2 : Indiscriminate attachment - 2 to 7 months

  • more obvious & observable behaviours.
  • clear preference for humans.
  • recognise & prefer familiar people and accept cuddles & comfort from anybody (indiscriminate).
  • no separation anxiety.
• Stage 3 : specific attachment - around 7 months.

  • show classic signs of attachment towards 1 person (separation & stranger anxiety).
  • this specific attachment is to primary attachment figure = person who responds to baby’s signals w most skill (not who spends most time w them)
  • mother in 65% of cases.
• Stage 4 : multiple attachments - 8+ months.

  • shortly after specific attachment is made they extend to other people they regularly spend time with (secondary attachments).
  • 29% form secondary attachments within a month of their primary attachment.
  • by 1, majority have developed multiple attachments.
• Evaluation - strength.

  P-good external validity. 


  Ev- observations done by parents in child’s home.

  Ex- Strength bc the child would’ve acted naturally, allowing the study to measure what it’s supposed to.

  Counter- mothers might not have accurately noted behaviours.
• Evaluation- weakness

  P-poor evidence for asocial stage.

  Ev- poor co-ordination and immobility in young babies can be displayed in hard to observe ways.

  Ex- weakness as babies may actually be social but flawed methods shows evidence they are asocial.
• Evaluation- strength.

  P- real world application.

  Ev- Starting day care in specific attachment stage would be problematic.

  Ex- means the use of day care can be planned using Schaffer stages of attachment.