Attachment (AO1)

Question 1

What were the aims and procedure of Schaffer and Emerson?

Answer 1

A: To investigate the formation of early attachments, who they form with and the emotional intensity

P: 60 babies were from Glasgow and largely working class families. The families were interviewed about their babies’ behaviour, including separation and stranger anxiety once a month for 18 months.

Question 2

What were the findings of Schaffer and Emerson?

Answer 2

• Between 25 - 32 weeks, 50% of babies started to display separation anxiety towards one specific person. Was usually the mother yet this could be anyone who is most interactive and sensitive to the baby’s signals and expressions.
• By the age of 40 weeks, 80% of babies had a specific attachment and roughly 30% of them had multiple attachments

Question 3

Label the 4 stages of attachment and when they occur, as proposed by Schaffer and Emerson

Answer 3

• Asocial (first few weeks)
• Indiscriminate (2-7 months)
• Specific (7+ months)
• Multiple

Question 4

What is stage 1 of attachment as proposed by Schaffer and Emerson?

Answer 4

Baby begins to recognise and form bonds with carers, yet behave towards inanimate objects and humans in the same way.

Question 5

What is stage 2 of attachment as proposed by Schaffer and Emerson?

Answer 5

Social behaviour becomes more observable, and they begin to prefer people over objects especially those who are familiar. Accept affection and comfort from any adults, and haven’t started to display both anxieties yet.

Question 6

What is stage 3 of attachment as proposed by Schaffer and Emerson?

Answer 6

After 7 months, babies start to display both separation and stranger anxiety (was the mother 65% of the time). Therefore, a specific and primary attachment has been formed.

Question 7

What is stage 4 of attachment as proposed by Schaffer and Emerson?

Answer 7

Babies begin to display attachment behaviour towards other adults who they spend time with and are called secondary attachments. 29% of babies reached this stage within a month of stage 3, though should have been reached by 1 y/o

Question 8

Define stranger anxiety

Answer 8

Anxiety stemmed from baby being in present of strangers/unfamiliar figures

Question 9

Define separation anxiety

Answer 9

Anxiety stemmed from baby being separate from attachment figures