Stages of attachment

• Schaffer and Emerson(1964) completed a controlled observation on 60 Glaswegian babies from skilled working-class families.
• The babies and mothers were visited in their own homes every month until the babies were 18 months old.
• The researcher asked questions about the babies response to 7 everyday separations to measure stranger and separation anxiety.
• They found 50% of babies between 25 and 32 weeks showed separation anxiety (specific stage) to the caregiver who was the most interactive and sensitive to signals and facial expressions (reciprocity).
• They found by 40 weeks (8-9m) 80% babies had formed specific attachments and 30% had formed multiple.
• AO3

  :( - Lacks generalisability

  A small sample size of 60 babies was used, all from Glasgow and all from the same social class.

  The study was also conducted 50 years ago.

  This may suggest that the study lacks temporal validity as child rearing practices are different now and the study may also lack population validity as child rearing practices differ culture to culture.
• AO3

  :( - Conflicting evidence

  Research from Bowlby suggests babies form specific attachments before multiple ones.

  However, Van Ijzendoorn suggest that babies form multiple attachments from the outset as multiple attachments are the norm for example in collectivist cultures where families work together and share responsibilities.

  This shows that it may not be clear as to when multiple attachments actually form as there's no agreement.