Stages of Attachment

Question 1

What are the four stages of attachment?

Answer 1

Asocial
Indiscriminate
Specific
Multiple

Question 2

What was Schaffer and Emerson’s research?

Answer 2

A longitudinal study of 60 Glasgow babies in 1946

Question 3

Describe the age and characteristics seen in the infant at the Asocial stage.

Answer 3

First few weeks of life

Shows a preference for company of familiar people, forming bonds with certain people

Question 4

Describe the age and characteristics seen in the infant at the Indiscriminate Stage.

Answer 4

2-7 months

Infant shows a clear preference for people than the company of inanimate objects
Now recognises and prefers familiar people

• NO stranger or separation anxiety
• DOES NOT discriminate against people who give comfort

Question 5

Describe the age and characteristics seen in the infant at the Specific stage.

Answer 5

7 months

Infant starts to display signs of attachment towards a specific individual (mother at this point)
- Forms attachment with PAG
- person who interacts and responds to most of the baby’s ‘signals’ with the most skill
- 65% of PAF were the mother

• HAS STRANGER AND SEPARATION ANXIETY

Question 6

Describe the age and characteristics seen in the infant at the Multiple stage.

Answer 6

7-12 months (shortly after specific attachment forms)

Infant creates multiple attachments with other people whom they spend time with regularly
- 29% of children formed secondary attachments one month after forming a specific attachment

Question 7

What are the strengths of Schaffer and Emerson’s research?

Answer 7

Good external validity
- parents made observations so no need for a researcher present - unlikely to influence behaviour of the child - more natural behaviour

Longitudinal study
- allows researchers to build up a more accurate and reliable account of the key events and experiences in the participant’s life

Question 8

What are the limitations of Schaffer and Emerson’s research?

Answer 8

Small sample size
- infants - cannot apply findings to older children - decreases practicality of their findings
- Glasgow (Scotland) - individualistic society - cannot be applied to collectivist cultures - difference in upbringing may affect how attachment forms

Mothers made the reports
- may have given in to social desirability and changed the results to make their child seem ‘better’ - reflects well on the mothers

Lack of temporal validity
- family ‘blueprints’ have changed - primary caregiver might not be the mother in modern society