Schaffer and Emerson (1964)

Question 1

Aim:

Answer 1

• aimed to investigate the formation of early attachment in particular the age at which they developed their emotional intensity and to whom they were directed
• sample of 60 babies from Glasgow with majority from working class families
• longitudinal

Question 2

Procedure:

Answer 2

• sample of 1960s, 60 babies from Glasgow with majority from working class families
• longitudinal study where babies and mothers are studied every month for the first year and then again at 18 months
• observations and interviews with mother
• assessed separation anxiety/protest through the infant being left alone in a room
• assessed stranger anxiety with the researcher starting home visits by approaching the infant

Question 3

Findings:

Answer 3

• found between 25-32 weeks about 50% of babies showed separation anxiety towards their caregiver
• attachment tended to be to the caregiver who was most interactive and sensitive to infants’ signals and facial expression (reciprocity)
• by 40 weeks 80% of babies had a specific attachment
• almost 30% displayed multiple attachments

Question 4

Conclusion:

Answer 4

• suggests there is a pattern of attachment common to all infants which is biologically controlled

Question 5

Evaluation: Generalisability

Answer 5

• lacks
• only looked at one sample that had unique features - 1960s, working-class, Glasgow

Question 6

Evaluation: Reliability

Answer 6

• high
• provided parents with specific behavioural categories for them to observe

Question 7

Evaluation: Applicability

Answer 7

• high
• practical application in day care
• findings from Schaffer and Emerson’s study were used to create the Schaffer and Emerson’s stages of attachment

Question 8

Evaluation: Validity

Answer 8

• high external validity
• babies behaviour was observed in a natural environment - participants highly likely to have behaved naturally
• counterpoint - low internal validity
• mothers being ‘observers’ - unlikely to be objective observers - may be biased

Question 9

Evaluation: Ethics

Answer 9

• psychological harm - anxiety

Question 10

4 Stages of attachment:

Answer 10

• Asocial
• Indiscriminate Attachment
• Specific Attachment
• Multiple Attachment

Question 11

Asocial:

Answer 11

• 0-8 weeks
• baby recognises and starts to form bond with carers
• behaviour towards non-humans and humans is similar

Question 12

Indiscriminate Attachment:

Answer 12

• 2-7 months
• displays more observable social behaviour
• shows preference to people
• not different towards any one person

Question 13

Specific Attachment:

Answer 13

• 7-12 months
• displays stranger anxiety
• displays separation anxiety
• formed specific attachments with one that offers most interaction and responds to baby’s signals with most skill

Question 14

Multiple Attachment:

Answer 14

• 1 year on wards
• after baby shows attachment to 1 adult this extends to multiple attachments with other adults
• by one year majority of infants developed multiple attachments

Question 15

Stages Evaluation: Weakness - Asocial stage difficult to understand

Answer 15

• validity
• babies less than 2 months old felt anxiety they may have displayed this is in subtle ways
• difficult for mothers to observe and report on signs of anxiety and attachment in this age group

Question 16

Stages Evaluation: Weakness - when do multiple attachments begin

Answer 16

• Example: Bowlby’s research (1969) seems to indicate that most if not all babies form attachments to a single main carer
• the theory may have a bias as it only focuses research on collective cultures
• has low applicability to other cultures

Question 17

Stages Evaluation: Weakness - problems with measuring multiple attachments

Answer 17

• Bowlby pointed out children have playmates as attachment figures and may get distressed when a playmate leaves the room but does not signify attachment
• observations does not leave a way to distinguish between behaviour shown towards secondary attachment figures and shown towards playmates