Attachment - CII: Schaffer's stages of attachment

Question 1

What was the aim of their study?

Answer 1

Schaffer and Emerson 1964
Aimed to investigate the formation of early attachments, particularly the age in which they developed, emotional intensity and who the attachments were directed towards

Question 2

What was the method?

Answer 2

• 60 babies studied at monthly intervals for the first 18months of life - longitudinal study
• All from w/c families in Glasgow
• Studied in baby’s own homes, regular pattern of development of attachment was identified
• Interactions between baby and carer were observed and carers were interviewed
• Evidence for development of attachment: baby showed separation anxiety after carer left
• Mothers kept diaries where they recorded observations of their baby during separation and presence of a stranger

Question 3

What were the study’s findings?

Answer 3

• When the babies were 25-32 weeks, 50% of them showed separation anxiety
• At 40weeks, 80% of babies had a specific attachment
• 30% had multiple attachments

Question 4

What is the conclusion of the study?

Answer 4

• The quality of care influences attachments, the specific attachment tended to be to the person who was most interactive and sensitve to baby’s signals, the mother may not be the attachment figure if someone else provides better quality of care: Sensitive responsiveness
• Observed that infants go through the same stages of attachment around a similar age
• The most important factor of attachment isn’t who feeds baby, it’s who plays and communicates best with them

Question 5

What are the 4 stages of attachment?

Answer 5

1. Asocial stage
2. Indiscriminate attachment
3. Specific or discriminate attachment
4. Multiple attachments

Question 6

Explain attachment stage 1

Answer 6

• Asocial stage
• 0-3 months of age
• Behaviour between humans and non human objects are similar - infants show no recognition that they are different
• At 6 weeks, infants begin to treat humans differently than objects by smiling at them, they are happier in presence of humans
• No attachments yet

Question 7

Explain attachment stage 2

Answer 7

• Indiscriminate attachment
• 3-7 months of age
• Infants now recognise and prefer familiar people
• They have a prefrence for people rather than objects
• They accept comfort from any adult
• No attachments yet, no separation anxiety or stranger anxiety

Question 8

Explain attachment stage 3

Answer 8

• Specific or discriminate attachment
• 7-9months of age
• Baby looks to particular people for security, comfort and protection - primary attachment to 1 particular individual
• Has stranger anxiety and separation anxiety
• Baby has formed an attachment
• Familiar adults are a secure base

Question 9

Explain attachment stage 4

Answer 9

• Multiple attachments
• 9months+
• Attachments now develop with grandparents, siblings e.g. but original attachment remains strongest
• They are called secondary attachments
• Child may now show separation anxiety from multiple caregivers