Attachment : Shaffer’s stages of attachment

Question 1

name each of Schaffer’s stages of attachment

Answer 1

stage 1 - asocial stage
stage 2 - indiscriminate attachment
stage 3 - specific attachment
stage 4 - multiple attachment

Question 2

outline the asocial stage

Answer 2

baby’s observable behaviour towards humans and inanimate objects fairly similar
however babies show signs they prefer to be with other people
preference shown for familiar people + more easily comforted by them

Question 3

what age range is the baby in the discriminate stage of attachment?

Answer 3

2-7 months

Question 4

outline the indiscriminate stage of attachment

Answer 4

start to display more obvious + observable behaviour
clear preference for humans over inanimate objects
recognise + prefer company of familiar people
comfort accepted from anyone
separation anxiety and stranger anxiety not shown

Question 5

what age are babies in the specific attachment stage?

Answer 5

7 months

Question 6

outline the specific attachment stage

Answer 6

majority display classic signs of attachment towards 1 person (stranger anxiety and separation anxiety)
baby formed specific attachment with primary attachment figure

Question 7

who is a baby’s primary attachment figure?

Answer 7

one who offers most interaction and responds with skill to baby’s signals

Question 8

what percentage is a baby’s primary attachment figure their mother?

Answer 8

65%

Question 9

what age are babies when multiple attachments are formed?

Answer 9

1 year

Question 10

what percentage of children formed secondary attachments within a month of forming primary attachments (as found by Shaffer and Emerson)

Answer 10

29%

Question 11

why does Shaffer and Emerson’s research have good validity?

Answer 11

most observations made by parents during ordinary activities and reported to researchers - alternative would’ve been researchers present to record, may have distracted or distressed babies
means high likelihood participants behaved naturally when observed

Question 12

what is a counter argument relating to the validity of shaffer and emerson’s research?

Answer 12

unlikely mothers were objective observers
might have been biased in terms of what they noticed and reported
means if babies did act naturally behaviour may not have been accurately recorded

Question 13

what is a limitation of shaffer and emerson’s stages?

Answer 13

concerns about validity of measures used to assess attachment in asocial stage
anxiety felt by babies <2 months in everyday situations displayed in subtle, hard to observe ways - means babies may actually be social but because of flawed methods they appear to be asocial

Question 14

name a strength of shaffer’s research

Answer 14

real world application in day cares
day care usually straightforward in asocial and discriminate stages because babies can accept comfort from any skilled adult
s+e’s research tells us starting daycare with unfamiliar adults may be problematic in specific attachment stage
means parents use of daycare can be planned using s+e’s stages