Schaffer’s stages of attachment

• Schaffer & Emmerson conducted a study to understand an infant's attachment.
• The study involved 60 babies from Glasgow, mostly working class families.
• Researchers visited the babies every month for 1 year and again for 18 months.
• Separation anxiety was measured by asking mothers about their child's behaviour during everyday separations.
• Stranger anxiety was measured by asking about the child's response to strangers.
• The study found that babies develop attachments through a sequence of stages, from asocial to specific attachments to multiple attachments.
• Schaffer & Emmerson concluded that attachment developed through stages.
• Strength: The study has external validity.

  • Most of the observations were made by parents during ordinary activities and reported to researchers.
  • The alternative would have to be observers present in the babies’ homes, which may have distracted the babies or made them feel more anxious.
• Limitation: Poor evidence for the asocial stage.

  • Because of their stage of physical development, young babies have poor coordination and are fairly immobile.
  • This makes it difficult for mothers to accurately report signs of anxiety and attachment in this age group.
• Strength: Real world application to daycare

  • In the early stages, babies can be comforted by any skilled adult.
  • But if a child starts later during the stages of specific attachments, care from an unfamiliar adult may cause distress and longer-term problems.
• Stage 1) Asocial

  • Baby’s behaviour towards others and inanimate objects are quite similar.
  • Some prefer familiar people
• Stage 2) Indiscriminate Attachment

  • Babies display more observable social behaviours such as preference for people over objects
  • Recognise and prefer familiar people
• Stage 3) Specific attachment

  • Stranger and separation anxiety shown
  • Baby is said to have formed primary attachments, which is mother in 65% of cases.
• Stage 4) Multiple attachments

  • Secondary attachments with other adults formed
  • In the study; 29% of babies formed a secondary attachment within a month of forming a primary attachment