Schaffer's stages of attachment

Question 1

What are the 4 stages of attachment?

Answer 1

-Asocial stage
-indiscriminate attachment
-specific attachment
-multiple attachments

Question 2

What is the asocial stage

Answer 2

0-6 weeks
infants respond similarly to objects and people, though they begin to show preferences for social stimuli such as faces.

Question 3

What is indiscriminate attchment?

Answer 3

6 weeks- 6 months
-Infants are more social, preferring human interaction and accepting comfort from anyone, without forming special bonds.

Question 4

What is specific attachment?

Answer 4

7+ months
-infants form a strong attachment to one primary care giver, showing separation anxiety and stranger anxiety

Question 5

What is multiple attachment?

Answer 5

10+ months
-infants begin to form secondary attachments to other caregivers, such as fathers, siblings or grandparents

Question 6

What is Schaffer and Emmerson study?

Answer 6

1964
observed 60 working class Glaswegian infants over the first 18 months of their life using interview with mothers and direct observations

Question 7

Aim of Schaffer and Emmerson experiment

Answer 7

• To investigate the formation of early attachment

Question 8

What was the procedure of the experiment?

Answer 8

• longitudinal study- over 18 months
  -observations + interviews
• measure the infants reaction to separation

Question 9

What are the findings of the experiment?

Answer 9

Attachments was formed with who was the most responsive
-Attachments are a gradual process and form through stages

Question 10

evaluate Schaffer’s and Emmerson experiment

Answer 10

60 Glaswegian infants 31 males 29 females - cultural bias
-generalise across genders
-outdated lacks temporal validity
-time consuming
-visited at home-in familiar natural environment- behaviours are more likely to be accurate

Question 11

What are the results of Schaffer’s and Emmerson’s experiment?

Answer 11

-Attachment to mother is more likely at 29-32 weeks
-At 33-36 weeks 19 infants displayed a fear of strangers because they had already developed a secure attachment to mother so are more fear full to change

Question 12

specific attachment

Answer 12

50 % of infants shown separation from the mother between 25 and 32 weeks

Question 13

Reciprocity

Answer 13

Attachments form with the care giver who is the most responsive to facial expressions

Question 14

Multiple attachments

Answer 14

By 40 weeks 80% of infants had a specific attachment with 20% displaying multiple attachments

Question 15

Evaluate Schaffer and Emmerson study

Answer 15

-low population validity
-lacks historical validity- outdated - mothers role was to take care of kids in that age - not reflective
-social desirability - might have exaggerated or understated the attachments