Paper 1 - Attachment - Topic 3 - Schaffer’s Stages Of Attachment

Question 1

3.2 What are the four identifiable stages of attachment proposed by Schaffer and Emerson?

Answer 1

Asocial stage
Indiscriminate attachment
Specific attachment
Multiple attachments

Question 2

3.2 What characterises the asocial stage of attachment?

Answer 2

Observable behaviour towards humans and inanimate objects is similar; babies show preference for familiar people

Question 3

3.2 At what age does the indiscriminate attachment stage occur?

Answer 3

From 2 to 7 months

Question 4

3.2 What is a key behaviour observed during the indiscriminate attachment stage?

Answer 4

Babies accept cuddles and comfort from any person

Question 5

3.2 What signs indicate a specific attachment has formed?

Answer 5

Separation anxiety
Stranger anxiety

Question 6

3.2 At what age do most babies show signs of specific attachment?

Answer 6

Around 7 months

Question 7

3.2 Who is typically the primary attachment figure for a child?

Answer 7

The person who offers the most interaction and responds to the baby’s signals with the most skill

Question 8

3.2 What percentage of cases identify the mother as the primary attachment figure?

Answer 8

65%

Question 9

3.2 What happens in the multiple attachments stage?

Answer 9

Babies extend attachment behaviour to multiple people

Question 10

3.2 What percentage of children formed secondary attachments within a month of forming a primary attachment?

Answer 10

29%

Question 11

3.2 What was the sample size of the Schaffer and Emerson study?

Answer 11

60 Babies (31 boys and 29 girls)

Question 12

3.2 What was one strength of Shaffer and Emerson’s research? (AO3)

Answer 12

Good external validity due to natural observations

This means it is likely that the participants behaved naturally while being observed

Question 13

3.2 What is a counterpoint regarding the observers in Schaffer and Emerson’s study? (AO3)

Answer 13

Mothers may not have been objective observers

This means that even if babies behaved naturally their behaviour may not have been accurately recorded

Question 14

3.2 What limitation exists regarding the asocial stage of attachment? (AO3)

Answer 14

Poor coordination and immobility in young babies may obscure signs of attachment

This means that the babies may actually be quite social but, because of flawed methods, they appear to be asocial

Question 15

3.2 How does Schaffer and Emerson’s research apply to day care? (AO3)

Answer 15

Day care may be problematic during the specific attachment stage

This means that parents’ use of day care can be planned using Schaffer and Emerson’s stages

Question 16

3.2 What is a generalisability concern regarding Schaffer and Emerson’s study? (AO3)

Answer 16

The study was based on a unique cultural and historical context