Schaffers stages of attachement

Question 1

when did Schaffer and Emerson study attachment

Answer 1

1964

Question 2

what are the 4 stages of attachment

Answer 2

1. Asocial stage
   - first few weeks
   - behavoiur towards humans and objects similar
   - prefer the comfort of familiar people
2. indiscriminate attachment
   - 2- 7 months
   - clear preference for humans than inanimate objects
   - recognise the company of familiar people
   - do not show separation or stranger anxiety
3. specific attachment
   - from 7 months
   - attachment towards one person
   - stranger and separation anxiety
   - primary attachment figure is the person who offers the most interaction
   - mothers in 65% of the cases
4. multiple attachment
   - after showing attachment behavoiur
   - form multiple attachments with other people they spend time with
   - 29% of children form secondary attachments within a month of forming a primary attachments
   - by 1 babies have developed multiple attachments

Question 3

Strength of Schaffers research (1964)

Answer 3

1. Good external validity
   - most of the observations were made by the parents during ordinary activities and reported to the researchers
   - reporters not being present mean the babes faced less anxiety and distraction
   - participants behaved more naturally
   - however mathers may have not been objective observers by not reporting everything or misremembering information
2. real world application
   - practical application in daycare
   - in the asocial and indiscriminate attachment stages daycare is likely to be straightforward as babies can be comforted by any skilled adult
   - can use the stages for daycare planning

Question 4

limitation of Schaffers research (1964)

Answer 4

1. poor evidence for the social stage
   - young babies have poor coordination and ar immobile
   - if they feel anxious in everyday situations they might display this in subtle hard to observe ways making it difficult for mothers to pick up and observe