SCHAFFERS STAGES

• How many stages of attachment are there?

  4
• what are the four stages of attachment?

  1 Asocial stage

  2 indiscriminate attachment

  3 specific attachment

  4 multiple attachments
• what is the asocial stage?

  first few weeks

  baby shows similar responses to objects and people, some preference for familiar people
• what is the indiscriminate attachment stage?

  2 to 6/7 months

  show a preference for people and have ability to distinguish between people but are comforted by anyone and show no stranger or separation anxiety
• what is the specific attachment stage?

  7 to 12 months

  show preference for primary caregiver and display stranger and separation anxiety. Looks to particular person for comfort and security
• what is the multiple attachments stage?

  by 1 year

  secondary attachments with other people
• How did Schaffer and Emerson investigate stages of attachment?

  visited 60 babies in their home from working class families in Glasgow for 12 months then once at 18 months. Interviewed the mothers and observed babies for separation and stranger anxiety
• what were the findings of Schaffer and Emerson’s research?

  support for attachment stages at around 25 weeks 50% showed separation anxiety, by 40 weeks 80% had a specific attachment and 30% started forming multiple attachments
• what Is the conclusion of Schaffer and Emerson’s research?

  some support and suggests that attachment develops in stages. but specific attachment tended to be the one most interactive with baby, not the person they spent the most time with
• Strengths of Schaffer and Emerson

  Real world application - see it in other babies or children at daycare ect

  Temporal validity - longitudinal study went almost 2 years

  ecological validity - studied in natural home environment
• limitations of Schaffer and Emerson

  lack of population validity - could be different in upper class families

  self report is subjective - mothers could have not picked up or known

  not reliable/standardised - observations cant be controlled

  poor evidence for asocial stage - difficult for mothers to accurately report signs of anxiety as babies have poor coordination