stages of attachment: shaffer & emerson

Question 1

how many stages of attachment did schaffer and emerson create & name them

Answer 1

4

1. asocial
2. indiscriminate attachments
3. discriminate/specific attachments
4. multiple attachments

Question 2

describe the asocial stage of attachment

Answer 2

• age = birth to 2 months
• infant shows similar responses to objects/people

Question 3

describe the indiscriminate attachments stage of attachment

Answer 3

• age = 2-6 months
• infant has preference for human company
• comforted by anyone
• no stranger anxiety

Question 4

describe the discriminate/specific attachments stage of attachment

Answer 4

• age = 7-12 months
• infant has preference for 1 caregiver
• separation & stranger anxiety
• particular person for security/protection
• joy upon reunion

Question 5

describe the multiple attachments stage of attachment

Answer 5

• age = over 1 year
• attachments behaviours to several different people (secondary attachments)
• usually form in 1st month after primary attachment formed
• no. of multiple attachments depends on social circle of infant

Question 6

aim of schaffer & emerson 1964

Answer 6

investigate formation of early attachments - in particular, the age at which they developed, their emotional intensity & to whom they were directed

Question 7

method

Answer 7

• sample = 60 babies - 31 male & 29 female
• from working class families in glasgow
• aged between 5-23 weeks (start)
• researchers visited babies home every month for 1st 12 months & then once again at 18 months
• researchers interviewed mothers & observed children in relation to separation/stranger anxiety for everyday activities

Question 8

results

Answer 8

• around 25-32 weeks, 50% of children showed separation anxiety towards mother
• at 40 weeks, 80% of children had specific attachment & 30% started forming multiple

Question 9

conclusion

Answer 9

results provide support for schaffer & emersons stages of attachment & suggests attachment develops through a series of stages across the 1st year of life

Question 10

evaluation of schaffer & emerson’s research

Answer 10

+)
P: generalisable
E: large-scale study with good design features
T: high external validity
-) HOWEVER
P: ungeneralisable
E: 1 sample with unique features regarding historical/cultural context in mid-1960s working-class glasgow. other cultures (eg. collectivist) cultures multiple attachments from a very early age are the norm - van ijxendoorn 1993
T: validity reduced as results may not be applicable to attachment beyond emerson & schaffersons context

+)
P: practical application
E: eg. asocial/indiscriminate stages, day-care is likely to be straightforward as babies can be comforted by any skilled adult. however, their research tells us day care may be problematic during the specific stages of attachment
T: high external validity & parents can use it when planning their day care

+)
P: good external validity
E:study carried out in families homes & most of observations (except stranger anxiety) was done by the parents in ordinary activities & later reported to researchers
T: it is natural behaviour & tasks are not artificial so high mundane realism
-) HOWEVER
P: issues with mothers being observers
E: unlikely to be objective & may be biased in terms of what they notice/report eg. may not notice when baby showing signs of anxiety or they’ve misremembered it
T: decreases validity as even if babies act naturally, it may not be reported