Attachment Flashcards
What is Schaffer and Emerson’s study
They studied 60 babies from a working class area of Glasgow. Children were all studied in their own homes and visited monthly for approximately one year.
What was Schaffer and Emerson’s aim
To find the age at which attachments start and how intense these were.
What is the first stage of attachment
asocial stage or pre-attachment (first few weeks)
What is the second stage of attachment
indiscriminate attachment ( 6 weeks to 7 months)
What is the third stage of attachment
specific attachment or discriminate attachment (7-9 months)
What is the 4th stage of attachment
multiple attachment (10 months onwards).
Finings of Schaffer and Emerson’s research
found that infants tend to become attached to the mother first, then form attachments with other figures (such as the father) later on- usually by the age of 18 months.
strength of Schaffer and Emerson’s research
+They used longitudinal research
+ good ecological validity because the study was done in their own home rather than a lab
Weaknesses of Schaffer and Emerson’s study
-All the children are from same area so bias research
-The infants may become used to the people doing the visits which means they will no longer be strangers.
What have studies shown about the role of the father in attachment
Studies have found that the father is a child’s preferred attachment figure in approximately 5–20% of cases.
What are the findings against the idea of fathers being the main primary attachment
Fathers less likely to be the main attachment figures as spend less time with child.
-Lack emotional sensitivity women have, which may be due to both levels of oestrogen + cultural expectations.
What are the findings to support the father being the main caregiver
Research also shows men can actually be primary attachment figure, but biological/social factors may discourage this.
