Stages Of Attachment Flashcards
Schaffer and Emerson, Aim
Investigate formation of early attachment at the age they develop and who they are directed to
Schaffer and Emerson, procedure
Longitudinal, infants and mothers visited at home every month for first year and at 18 months
Schaffer and Emerson, sample
60 working class mothers and infants form Glasgow
Schaffer and Emerson, method
Observations and interviews
How was attachment measured
Separation anxiety
Stranger anxiety, researchers asked who the infants interacted with and responded to
Schaffer and Emerson, findings
4 stages to attachemt
Stages of attachment
Asocial, indiscriminate, specific and multiple
Asocial
First few week, similar behavior to adults and inanimate objects
Indiscriminate
2-7 months, presence to ppl over inanimate objects, usually don’t show separation or stranger anxiety
Specific
Around 7 months, form attachments and show separation and stranger anxiety. 65% specific attachment to mother
Multiple
Within 1 month of specific 29% had formed multiple. By one year most had multiple. 18 months 75% attachment to father
Schaffer and Emerson, conclusion
Infants form attachments in stages and multiple attachments can be formed
Ecological validity
Conducted in own homes behavior was natural as in familiar environment and parents leaving the room would have been ordinary. Children’s behavior representative of everyday interactions. Increases external validity
Bias
Self report techniques such as interviews, social desirability bias, parents may lie eg child is distressed when leave room even when not. Lowers internal validity
Longitudinal
Observed regularly, eliminates confounding variable ( individual differences) eg different temperaments may affect perception of attachment stage. Increases internal validity
