Stages of Attachment

• What was the aim into Schaffer & Emerson's research into attachment?

  To investigate the formation of early attachment. In particular, they focuses on three things: the age at which attachment developed, the environmental intensity of the infant and to whom the emotion was directed at.
• What was the procedure in Schaffer & Emerson's research into Attachment?

  In a longitudinal study they followed 60 infants from a mainly working class area of Glasgow over a 2 year period, keeping a detailed record of their observations. The infants and their mothers were observed every month until they were 1 year old and then again at 18 months. The researchers asked the mothers questions about the separation anxiety displayed by the infants in seven types of every day separations.
• What were the two attachments that were measured in Schaffer & Emerson's research into attachment?

  Separation anxiety and stranger anxiety
• How was attachment measured using separation anxiety in Schaffer & Emerson's research into attachment?

  Separation anxiety was observed in 7 everyday situations:

  • Left alone in a room.
  • Left with other people.
  • Left in the pram outside the house.
  • Left in the pram outside the shops.
  • Left in their cot at night.
  • Put down after being held by an adult.
• How was attachment measured using stranger anxiety in Schaffer & Emerson's research into attachment?

  Every visit the researcher would approach the infant and note down at what point the infant started to display anxiety to the unfamiliar adult (Stranger anxiety). The data came from direct observations of the children or from the mothers keeping diaries as instructed by Schaffer & Emerson.
• What were the findings in Schaffer & Emerson's research into attachment?

  • 50% of the children showed their first specific attachment (usually towards the mother) between 6 to 8 months. Fear of strangers began about a month later in all the children
  • Attachment tended to be to the caregiver who was most interactive, displayed sensitive responsiveness and responded to the infant’s signals and facial expressions (reciprocity). 
  • At about 9 months 80% of the infants had formed a specific attachment and 30% had formed several attachments.
• What were the findings in Schaffer & Emerson's research into attachment? (2nd card)

  • Although at 18 months the mother was the commonly selected attachment figure (65%), 75% of the infants studied had also attached to the father. 39% of the infants had a primary attachment with someone other than the person who usually fed, bathed and changed them.
• What was the conclusion of Schaffer & Emerson's research into attachment?

  Babies do not normally develop monotropy (One main attachment figure) and it is common for a child to have several attachment figures.
• The 4 stages of attachment.

  • Stage 1: Asocial.
  • Stage 2: Indiscriminate.
  • Stage 3: Specific.
  • Stage 4: Multiple.
• At what age range does Asocial attachment occur?

  0 to 6 weeks.
• At what age range does Indiscriminate attachment occur?

  6 to 7 weeks.
• At what age range does Specific attachment occur?

  7+ months.
• At what age range does Multiple attachment occur?

  10+ months.
• Describe the behaviour exhibited by someone with asocial attachment.

  Observable behaviour towards humans and inanimate objects are similar. However, Schaffer & Emerson did not believe that entirely. They found babies tend to show a preference to be with other people and are more easily comforted by familiar people. At this stage the baby is forming bonds with certain people which form the basis for later attachments.
• Describe the behaviour exhibited by someone with indiscriminate attachment.

  Babies start to display more obvious and observable social behaviours. There is a clear preference for the company of familiar people, but they do accept cuddles from any person. They do not show separation anxiety when caregivers leave or stranger anxiety in the presence of unfamiliar people.
• Describe the behaviour exhibited by someone with specific attachment.

  The majority of babies start to display the classic signs of attachment towards one particular person. These signs include anxiety directed towards strangers, especially when their attachment figure is absent and anxiety when they are separate from their attachment figure. Also the baby is said to have formed a specific attachment, usually to whom offers the most interaction and responds to the babies 'signals - known as the primary attachment figure (baby’s mother in 65% of cases).
• Describe the behaviour exhibited by someone with multiple attachment.

  Shortly after the babies start to show attachment behaviour towards an individual, they usually extend this behaviour to multiple attachments with other people who they spend time with. These relationships are called secondary attachments. Schaffer & Emerson observed that 29% of the children formed secondary attachment within a month of forming a primary attachment. By the age of one, the majority had developed multiple attachments.