3.1: Stages of attachment development Flashcards by Kirandeep Kaur

Describe and evaluate Schaffer’s stages of attachment (16 marks)

Schaffer showed how the common pattern in the development of infants’ attachments could be divided into several distinct stages - The:

Pre-attachment phase (asocial stage)
Indiscriminate attachment phase
Discriminate attachment phase (specific attachment stage)
Multiple attachments stage

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Describe and evaluate Schaffer’s stages of attachment (16 marks).
Schaffer showed how the common pattern in the development of infants’ attachments could be divided into several distinct stages - The pre-attachment phase (asocial stage), indiscriminate attachment phase, discriminate attachment phase (specific attachment stage) and the multiple attachments stage.

When is the pre-attachment stage from?

The pre-attachment stage is from birth up to 3 months

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The pre-attachment stage is from birth up to 3 months.
What does the baby do?

The baby recognises and starts to form a bond with its carers

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The pre-attachment stage is from birth up to 3 months.
The baby recognises and starts to form a bond with its carers.
However, what?

However, the baby’s behaviour towards humans and non-human objects is quite similar

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The pre-attachment stage is from birth up to 3 months.
The baby recognises and starts to form a bond with its carers.
However, the baby’s behaviour towards humans and non-human objects is quite similar.

When is the indiscriminate attachment phase from?

The indiscriminate attachment phase is from 3 to 7/8 months

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The indiscriminate attachment phase is from 3 to 7/8 months.
What do infants begin to do?

Infants begin to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar people

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The indiscriminate attachment phase is from 3 to 7/8 months.
Infants begin to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar people, doing what?

Infants begin to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar people, smiling more at known people

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The indiscriminate attachment phase is from 3 to 7/8 months.
Infants begin to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar people, smiling more at known people, but what?

Infants begin to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar people, smiling more at known people, but they will still allow strangers to handle and look after them

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The indiscriminate attachment phase is from 3 to 7/8 months.
Infants begin to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar people, smiling more at known people, but they will still allow strangers to handle and look after them.
Why is their attachment behaviour therefore said to be indiscriminate?

Their attachment behaviour is therefore said to be indiscriminate, because it is not different towards any one person

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The indiscriminate attachment phase is from 3 to 7/8 months.
Infants begin to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar people, smiling more at known people, but they will still allow strangers to handle and look after them.
Their attachment behaviour is therefore said to be indiscriminate, because it is not different towards any one person.

When is the discriminate attachment phase from?

The discriminate attachment phase is from 7/8 months onwards

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The indiscriminate attachment phase is from 3 to 7/8 months.
Infants begin to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar people, smiling more at known people, but they will still allow strangers to handle and look after them.
Their attachment behaviour is therefore said to be indiscriminate, because it is not different towards any one person.

The discriminate attachment phase is from 7/8 months onwards.
What do infants do?

Infants avoid unfamiliar people and protest if strangers try to handle them

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The indiscriminate attachment phase is from 3 to 7/8 months.
Infants begin to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar people, smiling more at known people, but they will still allow strangers to handle and look after them.
Their attachment behaviour is therefore said to be indiscriminate, because it is not different towards any one person.

The discriminate attachment phase is from 7/8 months onwards.
Infants avoid unfamiliar people and protest if strangers try to handle them.
What do infants begin to do?

Infants begin to develop specific attachments

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The indiscriminate attachment phase is from 3 to 7/8 months.
Infants begin to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar people, smiling more at known people, but they will still allow strangers to handle and look after them.
Their attachment behaviour is therefore said to be indiscriminate, because it is not different towards any one person.

The discriminate attachment phase is from 7/8 months onwards.
Infants avoid unfamiliar people and protest if strangers try to handle them.
Infants begin to develop specific attachments, doing what?

Infants begin to develop specific attachments, staying close to a particular person and showing separation protest

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The indiscriminate attachment phase is from 3 to 7/8 months.
Infants begin to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar people, smiling more at known people, but they will still allow strangers to handle and look after them.
Their attachment behaviour is therefore said to be indiscriminate, because it is not different towards any one person.

The discriminate attachment phase is from 7/8 months onwards.
Infants avoid unfamiliar people and protest if strangers try to handle them.
Infants begin to develop specific attachments, staying close to a particular person and showing separation protest (who is this in 65% of cases)?

Infants begin to develop specific attachments, staying close to a particular person and showing separation protest (this is the biological mother in 65% of cases)

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The indiscriminate attachment phase is from 3 to 7/8 months.
Infants begin to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar people, smiling more at known people, but they will still allow strangers to handle and look after them.
Their attachment behaviour is therefore said to be indiscriminate, because it is not different towards any one person.

When is the multiple attachments stage?

The multiple attachments stage is from 9 months onwards

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The indiscriminate attachment phase is from 3 to 7/8 months.
Infants begin to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar people, smiling more at known people, but they will still allow strangers to handle and look after them.
Their attachment behaviour is therefore said to be indiscriminate, because it is not different towards any one person.

The multiple attachments stage is from 9 months onwards.
What do infants form?

Infants form strong emotional ties

The indiscriminate attachment phase is from 3 to 7/8 months.
Infants begin to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar people, smiling more at known people, but they will still allow strangers to handle and look after them.
Their attachment behaviour is therefore said to be indiscriminate, because it is not different towards any one person.

The multiple attachments stage is from 9 months onwards.
Who do infants form strong emotional ties with?

Infants form strong emotional ties with other major caregivers and non-caregivers

The indiscriminate attachment phase is from 3 to 7/8 months.
Infants begin to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar people, smiling more at known people, but they will still allow strangers to handle and look after them.
Their attachment behaviour is therefore said to be indiscriminate, because it is not different towards any one person.

The multiple attachments stage is from 9 months onwards.
Infants form strong emotional ties with other major caregivers, like who, and non-caregivers?

Infants form strong emotional ties with other major caregivers, like grandparents, and non-caregivers

The indiscriminate attachment phase is from 3 to 7/8 months.
Infants begin to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar people, smiling more at known people, but they will still allow strangers to handle and look after them.
Their attachment behaviour is therefore said to be indiscriminate, because it is not different towards any one person.

The multiple attachments stage is from 9 months onwards.
Infants form strong emotional ties with other major caregivers, like grandparents, and non-caregivers, like who?

Infants form strong emotional ties with other major caregivers, like grandparents, and non-caregivers, like other children

The indiscriminate attachment phase is from 3 to 7/8 months.
Infants begin to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar people, smiling more at known people, but they will still allow strangers to handle and look after them.
Their attachment behaviour is therefore said to be indiscriminate, because it is not different towards any one person.

The multiple attachments stage is from 9 months onwards.
Infants form strong emotional ties with other major caregivers, like grandparents, and non-caregivers, like other children.
What weakens?

The fear of strangers weakens

The indiscriminate attachment phase is from 3 to 7/8 months.
Infants begin to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar people, smiling more at known people, but they will still allow strangers to handle and look after them.
Their attachment behaviour is therefore said to be indiscriminate, because it is not different towards any one person.

The multiple attachments stage is from 9 months onwards.
Infants form strong emotional ties with other major caregivers, like grandparents, and non-caregivers, like other children.
The fear of strangers weakens, but what remains strongest?

The fear of strangers weakens, but attachment to the primary caregiver remains strongest

The indiscriminate attachment phase is from 3 to 7/8 months.
Infants begin to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar people, smiling more at known people, but they will still allow strangers to handle and look after them.
Their attachment behaviour is therefore said to be indiscriminate, because it is not different towards any one person.

First AO3 PEEL paragraph

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that it is difficult to gather any meaningful data from infants at the asocial stage

The indiscriminate attachment phase is from 3 to 7/8 months.
Infants begin to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar people, smiling more at known people, but they will still allow strangers to handle and look after them.
Their attachment behaviour is therefore said to be indiscriminate, because it is not different towards any one person.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that it is difficult to gather any meaningful data from infants at the asocial stage.
Why is this?

This is because they are immobile and have little coordination

The indiscriminate attachment phase is from 3 to 7/8 months.
Infants begin to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar people, smiling more at known people, but they will still allow strangers to handle and look after them.
Their attachment behaviour is therefore said to be indiscriminate, because it is not different towards any one person.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that it is difficult to gather any meaningful data from infants at the asocial stage.
This is because they are immobile and have little coordination.
Therefore, what?

Therefore, it is very difficult to make any judgements about them based on observations of their behaviour

Research has shown that infants are social at this stage

For example, Meltzoff and Moore found that infants have an imitation ability at 2 - 3 weeks old

Research has also shown that babies prefer their mother's face/voice to that of a stranger (Carpenter)

However, the lack of meaningful data means that we cannot be sure about infants' feelings and cognitions and whether they are social or not

Describe and evaluate Schaffer’s stages of attachment (16 marks). Schaffer showed how the common pattern in the development of infants' attachments could be divided into several distinct stages - The pre-attachment phase (asocial stage), indiscriminate attachment phase, discriminate attachment phase (specific attachment stage) and the multiple attachments stage. The pre-attachment stage is from birth up to 3 months. The baby recognises and starts to form a bond with its carers. However, the baby's behaviour towards humans and non-human objects is quite similar. The indiscriminate attachment phase is from 3 to 7/8 months. Infants begin to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar people, smiling more at known people, but they will still allow strangers to handle and look after them. Their attachment behaviour is therefore said to be indiscriminate, because it is not different towards any one person. The discriminate attachment phase is from 7/8 months onwards. Infants avoid unfamiliar people and protest if strangers try to handle them. Infants begin to develop specific attachments, staying close to a particular person and showing separation protest (this is the biological mother in 65% of cases). The multiple attachments stage is from 9 months onwards. Infants form strong emotional ties with other major caregivers, like grandparents, and non-caregivers, like other children. The fear of strangers weakens, but attachment to the primary caregiver remains strongest. The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that it is difficult to gather any meaningful data from infants at the asocial stage. This is because they are immobile and have little coordination. Therefore, it is very difficult to make any judgements about them based on observations of their behaviour. Research has shown that infants are social at this stage. For example, Meltzoff and Moore found that infants have an imitation ability at 2 - 3 weeks old. Research has also shown that babies prefer their mother's face/voice to that of a stranger (Carpenter). However, the lack of meaningful data means that we cannot be sure about infants' feelings and cognitions and whether they are social or not. Therefore, what?

Therefore, Schaffer's stages of attachment are questionable

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that other psychologists believe that babies form multiple attachments from the beginning

In their meta-analysis, Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg found that in some cultures (collectivist cultures), multiple attachments are the norm and that multiple attachments are formed much earlier than Schaffer and Emerson suggested

For example, in Uganda, most infants are cared for by several adults and form multiple attachments very young

This suggests that Schaffer's stages of attachment are not valid

The third AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there may be a problem with how multiple attachments are assessed

For example, Bowlby suggested that children have playmates as well as attachment figures and may get distressed when a playmate leaves the room, but this does not signify attachment

Schaffer and Emerson's observations do not leave us with a way of how to distinguish between behaviour shown towards secondary attachment figures and behaviour shown towards playmates