Schaffer and Emerson's stages of attachment Flashcards
What was the aim of Schaffer and Emerson’s (1964) study?
They aimed to investigate the formation of early attachments, in particular the age at which they developed, their emotional intensity and to whom they were directed.
Who did the study involve?
The study involved 60 babies - 31 male, 29 female. All ppts were from Glasgow and the majority were from working class families.
How often were the babies and the mothers visited at their home?
The babies and their mothers were visited at their homes every month for the 1st year and then again at 18 months.
What did the researchers ask the mothers?
What else did the researchers assess?
The researchers asked the mothers questions about the kind of protest their babies showed in 7 everyday separations, e.g. adult leaving the room.
This was designed to measure the infants attachment.
The researchers also assessed stranger anxiety.
What were the findings of the study?
Between 25 and 32 weeks of age, about 50% of the babies showed signs of separation anxiety towards a particular adult, usually their mother.
Attachment tended to be to the caregiver who was the most interactive and sensitive to infant signals and facial expressions - this was not necessarily the person that the infant had spent the most time with.
By 40 weeks, 80% of babies had a specific attachment and almost 30% displayed multiple attachments.
What are the 4 stages of attachment?
asocial stage
indiscriminate attachment
specific attachment
multiple attachments
What is the asocial stage? When does it occur?
First few weeks.
Baby is recognising and forming bonds with caregivers.
Babies behaviour towards objects and humans is similar.
Babies show some preference for familiar adults in that those individuals find it easier to calm them down. Babies happier in the presence of humans.
What is an indiscriminate attachment? When does it occur?
From 2-7 months. Babies display more observable social behaviour.
They show a preference for people rather than inanimate objects, and recognise and prefer familiar adults.
They accept cuddles and comfort from any adults.
No separation or stranger anxiety.
Indiscriminate as they do not behave differently for any adults.
What is a specific attachment? When does it form?
Around 7 months the majority of babies start to display separation and stranger anxiety when separated from primary caregiver (65% of time it’s the biological mother).
Adult is termed primary attachment figure.
What are multiple attachments? When do these form?
After specific attachment has formed, babies extend their attachment behaviour to multiple attachments with other adults who the spend time with. These are secondary attachments.
In Schaffer ad Emerson’s study, 29% of the children had formed secondary attachments within a month of forming a primary attachment.
