schaffer + emerson

• aimed to investigate formation of early attachment
• method

  • 60 babies- 29 female 31 male, from Glasgow and predominately from skilled working class families
  • babies were visited at home every month for a year then again at 18 months
  • researcher asked mother questions about the kind of protest the baby showed in seven everyday separations
• findings

  • between 25 and 32 weeks of age, about 50% of babies showed signs of separation anxiety
  • attachment tended to be caregiver who was most interactive and sensitive to infant signals and not necessarily the person who spent most time with them
  • 40 weeks- 80% had a specific attachment and nearly 30% had multiple attachments
• stages of attachment

  1. asocial stage
  2. indiscriminate attachment
  3. specific attachment
  4. multiple attachment
• asocial stage (first few weeks)

  • not really asocial stage
  • baby recognises and forms bonds with carers
  • baby’s behaviour towards non human objects and humans are quite similar
  • show some preference for familiar adults
  • happier in the presence of humans
• indiscriminate attachment (2-7 months)

  • babies display more observable social behaviour
  • preference for humans over inanimate objects
  • recognise and prefer familiar adults
  • accepts comfort from any adult
  • does not really show signs of separation or stranger anxiety
• specific attachment (7+ months)

  • babies start to display separation and stranger anxiety as they become anxious when separated from the adult (usually biological mother) this adult is said to be the primary attachment figure
  • not necessarily the person who spends the most time with the, but who offers the most interaction
• multiple attachments

  • shortly after attachment to primary figure
  • baby extends attachment behaviour to other adults that they regularly spend time with- termed secondary attachment figure