Schaffer's stages of attachment

Question 1

Stage 1

Answer 1

Asocial stage
- Babies first few weeks of life
- similar behaviour towards humans and inanimate objects
- show signs they prefer to be with other people
- preference for familiar people and more easily comforted

Question 2

Stage 2

Answer 2

Indiscriminate attachment
- from 2-7 months babies show clear preference for being with humans
- recognise and prefer company of familiar people
- usually accept cuddles and comfort from any person
- do not show separation or stranger anxiety

Question 3

Stage 3

Answer 3

Specific attachment
- around 7 months
- primary attachment figure - most interaction and responds to baby’s signals
- baby’s mother 65% time
- separation + stranger anxiety

Question 4

Stage 4

Answer 4

Multiple attachments
- shortly after baby extends to secondary attachments - regularly spend time with
- 29% children formed within a month of foring primary
- by the age of 1 majority had developed multiple

Question 5

Schaffer and Emerson’s procedure

Answer 5

• 60 babies all from glasgow, majority from skilled working class families
• visited homes every month for the 1st year and again at 18 months
• asked mothers questions about kind of protest babies showed in everyday separations
• assessed stranger anxiety aswell

Question 6

Strength of research

Answer 6

Good external validity
ordinary activities by parents in natural environment
babies more likely to behave naturally

Question 7

Limitation of research

Answer 7

Lacks validity of assessing asocial stage
Babies have poor co-ordination + fairly immobile
Difficult to distinguish specific responses e.g. anxiety

Question 8

Strength of research

Answer 8

Practical application in day care - can be planned according to the stages