Schaffer and Emerson's Stages of Attachment

Question 1

what are the stages of attachment?

Answer 1

asocial, indiscriminate, specific, multiple

Question 2

what age is the asocial attachment stage?

Answer 2

0-8 weeks

Question 3

what age is the indiscriminate attachment stage?

Answer 3

2-7 months

Question 4

what age is the specific attachment?

Answer 4

7-12 months

Question 5

what age is the multiple attachment?

Answer 5

1 year onwards

Question 6

what is asocial attachment?

Answer 6

• behaviour between humans and non-humans are quite similar
• recognise specific faces
• happier in presence of humans than alone
  -preference for familiar individuals
  -prefer faces to non-face
• smile to anyome

Question 7

what is indiscriminate attachment?

Answer 7

• recognise and prefer familiar people
• smile more at familiar than unfamiliar faces
  -preference for people rather than inanimate objects
• accept comfort from any adult
• don’t show separation or stranger anxiety

Question 8

what is specific attachment?

Answer 8

• primary attachment to one particular individual (the person who shows the most sensitivity to their signals) = baby’s mother in 65% of cases
• show stranger and separation anxiety
• use familiar adults as secure base

Question 9

what is multiple attachment?

Answer 9

• form secondary attachments with familiar adults with whom they spend time
• 29% of children formed secondary attachments withing a month of forming primary specific attachments

Question 10

what was the procedure for Schaffer and Emerson?

Answer 10

• 60 babies from working class families in Glasgow
• babies were visited every month during 1st year then again at 18 months
• separation anxiety: asked mothers questions about the infants response to separation in 7 everyday situations (e.g. leaving the room)
• stranger anxiety: assessed the infants’s response to the interviewer at each visit