schaffer's stages of attachment

Question 1

asocial

Answer 1

• birth to 2 months
• shows similar responses to objects and people
• preference for faces/eyes at the end of the stage

Question 2

indiscriminate

Answer 2

• 2 to 6 months
• preference for human over non human company
• can distinguish between different people but are comforted indiscriminately and show no stranger anxiety

Question 3

discriminate (specific)

Answer 3

• 7 to 12 months
• preference for one caregiver
• show stranger and separation anxiety
• look to protection from and show joy upon reunion with their primary caregiver

Question 4

multiple

Answer 4

• 1 year onwards
• attachment behaviours are displayed towards multiple people
• form in the first month after the primary attachment is formed
• the number developed depends on the social circle the infant is exposed to

Question 5

schaffer and emerson (1964) - aim

Answer 5

examine the formation of early attachments

Question 6

schaffer and emerson (1964) - methods

Answer 6

• observed 60 babies (31 male and 29 female) from glaswegian working class families ages 5-23 weeks old
• researchers visited them in their homes every month for the first 12, then again at 18 months
• interviewed the mothers and observed children in relation to stranger and separation anxiety in daily activities

Question 7

schaffer and emerson (1964) - results

Answer 7

• at 25-32 weeks, 50% showed separation anxiety towards mothers
• by 40 weeks, 80% had a discriminate attachment and 30% had began to form multiple attachments

Question 8

schaffer and emerson (1964) - conclusion

Answer 8

• supports schaffers stages of attachment
• suggests attachment develops through a series of stages across the first year of life

Question 9

give a strength of schaffer and emerson
1/3

Answer 9

their research has high external validity. they conducted the observations in each childs own home, this natural environment means that both the children and their parents were more likely to act naturally. therefore the results and any conclusions drawn are likely to be applicable to other children from a similar demographic in their own homes, highlighting the study’s high external validity

Question 10

give a strength of schaffer and emerson
2/3

Answer 10

the study has real world applications for daycare. for example, if a child is in the asocial or indiscriminate stage of attachment, childcare would be useful for them as they display low stranger and separation anxiety. however if the child is in the discriminate attachment stage childcare would be less effective for them. therefore, research increasing the understanding of attachment stages can help to plan and improve daycare

Question 11

give a strength of schaffer and emerson
3/3

Answer 11

they used a longitudinal research design, in which they collected data over a long period of time. observing these children regularly over 18 months can help to eliminate individual differences as an extraneous variable. this therefore increases the internal validity of results, as we can be sure that findings are the result of the childs attachment style and not another confounding variable

Question 12

give a limitation of schaffer and emerson
1/2

Answer 12

their study lacks population validity due to their biased sample of 60 working class mothers and babies from glasgow. these mothers may form different attachments with their infants compared to wealthier families or ones from different cultures. we are therefore unable to generalise this study’s results to mothers and babies in the rest of the world.

Question 13

give a limitation of schaffer and emerson
2/2

Answer 13

criticised for the possibility of social desirability bias. schaffer and emerson interviewed mothers about their own children, some of them may have reported inaccurate information in order to appear like better mothers with children with secure attachments. this may lead to a bias in the results, reducing the internal validity of the study since we cannot conclude that natural behaviour was recorded about the infants stages of attachment

Question 14

the role of the father

Answer 14

• traditionally fathers would work to provide resources and mothers cared for the children
• some psychologists say men aren’t equipped to form an attachment, they point to bio evidence suggesting that their lack of oestrogen (which underlies caring behaviour) is why they can’t form a close attachment
• other argue that men take the role of a playmate rather than a caregiver
• others argue fathers can display sensitive responsiveness and respond to their child’s needs so can form a strong emotional bond

Question 15

give a strength of the role of the father
1/2

Answer 15

research supports the role of the father as a playmate rather than a caregiver. geiger (1996) found a fathers play interactions were more exciting and the mothers were more affectionate and nurturing. this suggests that the role of the father is in fact as a playmate and not as a sensitive parent responding to their childs needs.

Question 16

give a strength of the role of the father
2/2

Answer 16

research suggests that fathers aren’t as equipped as mothers to provide a nurturing attachment. hrdy (1999) found fathers were less able to detect low levels of infant distress compared to mothers, supporting the biological explanation that mens lack of oestrogen means they are unable to form close attachments with their children. this also suggests that the role of the father is to some extent biologically determined by their genetic makeup

Question 17

give a limitation of the role of the father
1/1

Answer 17

research suggests that fathers can form secure attachments with their children as long as they are in an intimate marriage. belsky et al (2009) found that men who reported higher levels of marital intimacy also displayed a secure father-infant attachment, whereas those with low intimacy levels displayed insecure father-infant attachments. this highlights that men are able to form secure attachments with their children, but the strength of it is dependent on the relationship between the father and mother