Schaffer’s Stages of Attachment

• State the 4 stages of attachment

  1, Asocial (birth to 2 months) 2, Indiscriminate attachments (2 months - 6 months) 3, Discriminate attachments (7 months - 12 months) 4, Multiple attachments (1 year onwards)
• Describe the asocial stage

  Infant shows similar responses to objects and people
• Describe the indiscriminate attachments stage

  x Infant shows preference for human company over non-human company. x Can distinguish between humans but comforted by anyone (no stranger anxiety)
• Describe the discriminate (specific) attachments stage

  Infant shows preference for one caregiver and shows separation and stranger anxiety. Show joy upon reunion and comforted by primary caregiver
• Describe the multiple attachments stage

  Form attachments with several different people (siblings, grandparents etc) --> secondary attachments.
• Which study showed support for the stages of attachment?

  Schaffer and Emerson (1964)
• Describe the procedure of the Schaffer and Emerson study (1964)


  x Studied 60 babies from Glasgow, working class families. x Babies and mothers visited at home every month for 1st year and at 18 months. x Mothers asked about separation and stranger anxiety
• Describe the findings of Schaffer and Emerson (1964)


  x 50% babies showed separation anxiety to usually the mother at 25-32 weeks x 40 weeks - 80% had specific attachment, 30% had multiple attachments
• What is an issue with the sample used in the Schaffer and Emerson (1964) study?


  It is not representative of the wider population - families all from Glasgow and working class
• State another issue with the Schaffer and Emerson (1964) study other than the unrepresentative sample?


  It was carried out in the 1960s and a lot has changed since this time (Temporal validity)