Attachment: Stages of Attachment Flashcards
what were the participants of Schaffer and Emerson’s study?
60 babies from Glasgow, all from the same estate.
what was the procedure of Schaffer + Emerson’s study?
they analysed interactions between carer and child, interviewed the carers, the mothers had to keep a diary to track infant’s behaviour based on the following categories: seperation anxiety, stranger anxiety and social referencing. it was a longitudinal study lasting 18 months, they visited on a monthly basis.
what were the findings of Schaffer and Emerson’s study?
babies who’s parents had sensitive responsiveness were more likely to form an attachment. they found it was more important than the time spent with the baby. parents who responded quicker to their child’s needs had more intense attachments.
what are the stages of attachment?
asocial (0-6 weeks) = responds to objects and people similarly. indiscriminate (6 weeks - 6 months) = develop more responses to humans and tell the difference between different people. specific (7 months) = infant prefers 1 carer and seeks comfort and security from these people, show seperation/stranger anxiety. multiple (10 months) = form multiple attachments and seek comfort from all these people.
how does Schaffer + Emerson’s study lack population validity? (A03)
infants in the study all came from Glasgow and were mostly from working class families. it was also a small sample size of 60. this means it can’t be generalised and is a limited explanation of attachment. it also lacks temporal validity as parenting techniques have significantly changed since to 1950s.
how does Schaffer + Emerson’s study lack internal validity?
it uses self report method as parents keep a daily diary to track their infants behaviour. therefore the accuracy of data may not be bust. parents may have been too busy to include full detail or be subject to social desirability bias - they may have skewed the reports to seem more socially acceptable. there may also be demand characteristics as they try to tailor their reports to fit what they think the aim is. confidence can’t be placed in the conclusions drawn
why can’t the asocial stage be studied objectively? (A03)
children as young as 6 weeks lack basic motor co-ordination skills meaning we can’t establish whether their responses are deliberate. Bremner drew distinction between behavioural reponse and understanind. even though the child appears to have a bond, it may not exist or be understood by the child.
