attachment: Schaffer + Emerson (1964) stages of attachment

Question 1

what are the characteristics of the asocial stage of attachment, at what age does this occur?

Answer 1

first stage, 0-8 weeks, baby thinks humans and non humans are similar, recognises faces, happier with humans and prefer familiar faces, will smile at anyone

Question 2

what are the characteristics of the indiscriminate attachment stage of attachment, at what age does this occur?

Answer 2

second stage, 2-7 months, will recognise and prefer people over objects, will smile at more familiar faces, accepts comfort from any adult

Question 3

what are the characteristics of the specific attachment stage of attachment, at what age does this occur?

Answer 3

third stage, 7-12 months, forms a primary attachment to a specific person, shows stranger and separation anxiety, uses familiar adults as a secure base

Question 4

what are the characteristics of the multiple attachments stage of attachment, at what age does this occur?

Answer 4

4th and final stage, 1 year onwards, forms secondary attachments with familiar adults

Question 5

what did Schaffer + Emerson (1964) study?

Answer 5

conducted an observational study to look at formation of early infant adult attachments, used 60 babies all of working class, studied these every month for a year and then again at 18 months, by using interviews and observations with mothers, assessed separation anxiety for example leaving infant alone at night, assessed stranger anxiety by researchers having home visits around baby

Question 6

what did Schaffer + Emerson (1964) find?

Answer 6

between 25-32 weeks, 50% of babies showed separation anxiety, attachment tended to be caregiver who showed the most interaction, sensitive to babies facial expressions,by 40w, 80% of babies formed attachment to primary caregiver, 30% had multiple attachments

Question 7

what did Schaffer + Emerson (1964) conclude?

Answer 7

there may be a biologically controlled pattern of attachment, its easier to make with sensitive adults who respond to needs

Question 8

ao3: how does the stages of attachment have good external validity?

Answer 8

because the study was carried out in families own homes and most observing was gone by the parents which is unlikely to effect babies behaviour

Question 9

ao3: how was there limited sample characteristics?

Answer 9

60 babies were all middle class, all the families involved were from the same district however child rearing practices vary culture to culture and through historical period, meaning the results are not generalisable to all babies

Question 10

ao3: what is the conflicting evidence?

Answer 10

some research suggests babies have to form at least one attachment securely before forming multiple, some collectivist cultures have multiple caregivers as the norm