Schaffer

Question 1

procedure

Answer 1

• 60 babies from Glasgow majority from working class
• Visited babies and mothers in their home every month for the first year and again at 18 months
• Interviewed mothers – how babies responded to separations ( mum left the room) – measure of separation anxiety
• Observed interactions with stranger – measure of stranger anxiety

Question 2

schaffer 4 stages

Answer 2

• asocial stage
• indiscriminate attachment
• specific attachment
• multiple attachments

Question 3

asocial stage

Answer 3

• Babies observable behaviour towards humans and inanimate objects is fairly similar
• Preference for familiar people
• 0-6 weeks

Question 4

indiscriminate attachment

Answer 4

• 2-7 months
• Obvious and observable social behaviours
• Recognise and prefer familiar people
• Don’t show separation anxiety when caregivers leave their presence or stranger anxiety in the presence of unfamiliar people

Question 5

specific attachment

Answer 5

• 7 months
• Attachment to one person
• Signs include anxiety directed towards strangers and separation anxiety
• Formed a specific attachment – primary attachment figure

Question 6

multiple attachments

Answer 6

• 10-11 + months
• Extend behaviour to multiple attachments with other people they regularly spend time with
• Called secondary attachments
• Schaffer and Emerson – 29% of children formed secondary attachments within a month of forming primary

Question 7

evaluation

Answer 7

• good external validity
• poor evidence for asocial stage
• real-world application

Question 8

good external validity

Answer 8

• Most observations were made by parents during ordinary activities during ordinary activities
• Participants behaved naturally while being observed

Question 9

good external validity counterpoint

Answer 9

• Mothers are unlikely to be objective observers
• May have been biased
• E.g. may not have noticed when baby showing signs of anxiety
• Means even if babies behave naturally, behaviour may have not been accurately recorded

Question 10

poor evidence for the asocial stage

Answer 10

• Babies have poor co-ordination and are quite immobile
• If baby felt anxiety it may have displayed it very subtly
• Making it hard for mothers to report back to researchers

Question 11

real-world application

Answer 11

• Practical application in day care
• Asocial and discriminate attachment stages- day care is likely to be simple as babies can be comforted by any skilled adult
• during the specific attachment stage, it may be difficult without an unfamiliar adult
• Mean parents use of day care can be planned using the stages