2. Stages of attachment

Question 1

Outline the 4 stages of attachment and their duration

Answer 1

1. Asocial (0-3 months)
2. Indiscriminate (2 -7 months)
3. Discriminate (7-11 months)
4. Multiple (9 Months)

Question 2

Outline the asocial stage

Answer 2

The baby learns to distinguish people from objects. Although it has no strong preference over who cares for it, Schaffer and Emmerson found that babies did prefer to be around other people and gained comfort from them

Question 3

Outline the indiscriminate stage

Answer 3

The baby still has no strong preferences who cares about it but begins to smile as it begins to recognise familiar people. Can accept cuddles and affection from any person, no strong choice

Question 4

Outline the discriminate stage

Answer 4

Strong attachment to an individual. Show anxiety when they leave (separation anxiety) and strong anxiety to strangers when their main attachment figure is absent

Question 5

Outline the multiple attachment stage

Answer 5

Form multiple attachments. Schafer found that after 18 months, 32% of the babies had at least 5 attachments but the original is the strongest

Question 6

Procedure of Schaffer and Emmerson’s research

Answer 6

60 babies observed in Glasgow homes every 4 weeks from birth to 18 months
Interviews with families
All were from working class families

Question 6

Evaluations of Schaffer and Emmerson’s research (strengths)

Answer 6

Strengths - good external validity, and ecological validity, because the observations were often made from parents (and reported to the researcher). Took place in natural environment

RLA - can inform us on when daycare can be used for infants. Daycare could be straight forward during the first 2 stages. However, during the specific / discriminate phase, it may be difficult

Question 7

Evaluations of Schaffer and Emmerson’s research (Weaknesses)

Answer 7

Low in generalisability, Scottish families, working class and low sample size

Babies are immobile, and hard to interpret their behaviours.