attachment - stages of attachment

Question 1

stages of attachment researchers

Answer 1

Schaffer and Emerson (1964)

Question 2

aim - AO1

Answer 2

• to investigate formation of early attachments
• who they were directed to
• which age they developed

Question 3

procedure - AO1

Answer 3

• longitudinal study
• 60 working class babies and their mothers from Glasgow
• visited at homes every month for first year of babies life
• then at 18 months
• observations and interviews with mothers used

attachment measured in 3 ways:

1. separation anxiety - assessed how infant responded when left alone/mothers asked how infant reacts
2. stranger anxiety - researcher approached infant and assessed how they reacted/distress caused
3. researcher asked mother questions e.g. who infant smiles at/responds to

Question 4

findings - AO1

Answer 4

• schaffer and Emerson found 4 stages of attachment

1. Asocial (first few weeks)
   - similar behaviour to inanimate objects and humans
2. Indiscriminate (2-7 months)
   - preference to people over inanimate objects
   - no stranger/separation anxiety
3. Specific (from 7 months)
   - attach to one person
   - show stranger/separation anxiety
   - 65% of cases was the mother
4. Multiple
   - within 1 month of forming specific
   - 29% formed multiple attachments
   - most infants formed multiple attachments by 1 year
   - by 18 months 75% formed attachment with father

Question 5

Conclusion - AO1

Answer 5

• infants form attachments in stages
• multiple attachments can be formed

Question 6

Asocial phase - AO1

Answer 6

• first few weeks
• similar behaviour to humans and inanimate objects
• happier in presence of humans

Question 7

Indiscriminate attachment phase - AO1

Answer 7

• 2-7 months
• prefer humans over inanimate objects
• more observable social behaviour
• recognise and prefer familiar adults
• accept cuddles/comfort from any adult
• no stranger/seperation anxiety

Question 8

Specific attachment phase - AO1

Answer 8

• infant attaches to one adult
• show stranger/separation anxiety when separated
• 65% of cases = biological mother
• not necessarily person that spends most time with infant, but one that responds to interactions most

Question 9

Multiple attachment phase - AO1

Answer 9

• attachment extends to adults who regularly spend time with infant
• schaffer and Emerson found within 1 month of forming specific attachment 29% infants form multiple attachments
• by 1 year most infants attach
• by 18 months 75% infants form attachment with father

Question 10

Acronym for stages of attachment

Answer 10

An
Infant
Smells
Milk

Question 11

Strength - AO3
high ecological validity

Answer 11

P - strength
- high eco val

E - families own home
- normal activities e.g. leaving the room

E - can be generalised to real life
- representative of daily interactions

L - increases external validity of research

Question 12

Weakness - AO3
social desirability bias

Answer 12

P - weakness
- social desirability bias

E - interviews were used to gather info about infants behaviour
- mothers may have lied to present themselves in best possible light

E - e.g. may have lied about infant being distressed when mother left the room
- when they were not

L - reduces internal validity of research

Question 13

Weakness - AO3
culture bias

Answer 13

P - weakness
- culture bias

E - schaffer and Emerson investigated on mothers and babies from Glasgow
- difficult to generalise findings to non-western/collectivist cultures

E - e.g. china people work together to look after child
- multiple attachments may form
- without specific attachment being formed

L - weakens external validity of research