Attachment - Stages of attachment (Schaffer) Flashcards
Who identified the stages of attachment? What type of study did they use?
Schaffer and Emerson, longitudinal observational study
When is the Asocial stage? What does it involve?
First stage. 0-6 weeks
Babies respond to objects in a similar way to their humans, e.g smiling
When is the indiscriminate stage? What does it involve?
Second stage. 6 weeks to 7 months.
Handled by strangers without distress, discriminates between familiar and unfamiliar individuals, with presence from familiar adults.
No separation anxiety!
When is the Specific stage? What does it involve?
Third stage. 7+ months.
Separation and stranger anxiety. Preference to primary caregiver i.e mum
When is the Multiple attachment stage?
Fourth, Final stage. 9+ months
Attachment towards a number of individuals i.e grandparents. Fear of strangers decreases.
What did Schaffer and Emerson study? What was their procedure?
60 Glaswegian babies,
They collected data monthly for a year by doing interviews at home - then followed up at 18 months
What behaviours did Schaffer and Emerson record?
- Stranger distress
- Separation anxiety
- Showing ability to identify strangers
- Showing attachment bond
What were Shaffer and Emerson’s findings?
Found separation anxiety at 25-32 weeks, stranger distress one month later
At 18 months, most had multiple attachments
Strongest attachment with mothers provided consistent interaction
Suggested development occurs in stages and quality of interactions leads to strength of attachment
What are the strengths of Schaffer and Emerson’s Glaswegian baby study?
HIGH ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY
Families visited in their own house , strangers visiting would be ‘normal’.
By incorporating self-report, researchers used a process of triangulation
What are the weaknesses of Schaffer and Emerson’s study?
LACK OF CULTURAL VALIDITY
Human child rearing cultures are variable
LACKS TEMPORAL VALIDITY
Can’t be generalised to all cultures or time periods
