Research into stages of attachment

• Schaffer and Emersons research

  AIM

  > To investigate the formation of early attachments, the age at which they develop and who they are directed to

  PROCEDURE

  > Longitudinal study on 60 working class newborn infants and their mothers from glasgow

  > Visited every month for the first year and then again at 18 months

  > Observations and interviews conducted with the mothers
• Schaffer and Emersons research

  > Attachment was measured in two ways

  • Separation anxiety - assessed by the infant being left alone in a room, or the researcher asking the mother how the infant reacts in this instance
  • Stranger anxiety - assessed by the researcher starting each home visit by approaching the infant to see if this distressed the child

  > Researchers asked the mothers questions such as who the infants smiled at
• Schaffer and Emersons research

  FINDINGS

  1. Asocial - Infants behaviour to adults and inanimate objects was similar.
  2. Indiscriminate - Infants show a preference to people over inanimate objects but usually do not show stranger or separation anxiety
  3. Around 7 months infants start to form attachments and show separation and strangers anxiety when separated - 65% with mother
  4. Multiple - By 1 year most infants had multiple attachments. At 18 months, 75% of children had an attachment with their father.

  > CONCLUSION - Infants form attachments in stages, multiple attachments can be formed