Most likely 16/8 markers

• Methodological eval of Schaffers and Emerson's research.


  High external validity - observations were made during normal activities and reported to researchers likely that the ppts behaved naturally.

  However, it may be subject to social desirability as the mums were the observers.

  It may have been more beneficial to record them.
• Practical application of Schaffer and Emerson.


  It shows that asocial and indiscriminate will be simpler than during the specific stage in daycare. Therefore can be planned.

  Ca: Socially sensitive as suggests day care from 7+ M but only 6 months paid maternity.
• Internal validity is weak for Schaffer and Emerson.


  Young babies have poor coordination and are fairly immobile. If babies less than 2 months feel anxiety this would be hard to observe meaning everything is based on inferences.
• Lack of clarity over the question being asked surronding the role of the father.


  Some answering what is the role of the father want to understand their role as secondary attachment figures others as primary figures.

  The former have tended to see fathers as behaving differently from mothers and having a distinct role, the latter found the fathers taking on the 'mother' role.

  Complex answer.
• Conflicting research on the role of the father.


  Longitudinal studies suggested the father as a secondary attachment figures have a distinct role in development regarding play and stimulation. If true we would expect there to be differences compared to those without heterosexual parents.

  No proven difference.
• Real-world applicability of research into the role of the father.


  Can release pressure steering parents away from stereotypical views of stay-at-home mums and working dads.

  It can also provide reassurance for those in homosexual relationships that they will adapt to fill the missing role.
• The strange situation doesn't account for cultural differences.


  These are likely to effect childhood experiences and so responses too.

  Japanese mothers are rarely separate from their children and upon reunion they cradled their child making it difficult to observe responses. This is healthy in their culture but not in German.
• The strange situation has predictive validity.


  It can predict later development.

  Secure - better outcomes in many areas i.e. school and relationships.

  Insecure-resistant - bullying in late childhood and adult mental health issues.
• Strange situation has a high inter-rater reliability. 


  It takes place under controlled conditions with behavioural catagories easy to observe.
• Romanian orphan studies lack adult data.


  The last data looked at children in their early/mid-20s meaning we don't know the long-term effects.
• Romanian orphan studies lack confounding variables.


  The children were handed over by loving parents who couldn't afford them as opposed to abusive parents. Likely to have higher accuracy.

  However, the results likely reflect the institutions poor care as opposed to general institutional care.
• Romanian orphan studies have been applied to change institutional care.


  They have enhanced our understanding and now allow children a chance to develop normal attachments as opposed to disinhibited ones.

  CA: Culture bias - may not transfer to collectivist cultures (R is individualistic).