Schaffer's stages of attachment

Question 1

What was Schaffer and Emersons study?

Answer 1

1. Study was completed in Scotland that followed the development of attachments in 60 infants.
2. Using naturalistic observations, the infants were observed every 4 weeks for up to 1 year and then observed once more at 18 months.
3. Attachment was measured by assessing:

• Levels of separation protest: Measured by asking mothers to describe the intensity of any protest when an infant was left in 7 everyday situations, which was then rated on a 4 point scale.
• Stranger anxiety: Measured by assessing infants’ response to the interviewer at each visit.

Question 2

What were the results of Schaffer and Emersons study?

Answer 2

1. Most infants showed separation protest at between 6-8 months, with stranger anxiety appearing a month later.
2. 87% of children had multiple attachments at 18 months, while 31% had 5 or more.
3. 39% of infants’ main attachments weren’t to the main carer.

Question 3

What were Schaffer’s 4 stages of attachment?

Answer 3

1. Pre attachment (0-3 months)- Babies are attracted to humans and can pick them out in their vision/no current attachments
2. Indiscriminate attachment stage (3-7/8 months)- Babies can distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar people in their lives and allow themselves to be handled
3. Discriminate attachment stage (7/8 months)- Specific attachments start to be made, mainly to the primary caregiver and infants become distressed when in the sole company of strangers
4. Multiple attachments (9 months+)- Other important caregivers become more important to the infant and they can be handled with more ease by strangers, but the primary attachment is still the strongest attachment

Question 4

If the point is:

A strength of the stages of attachment theory is that there’s research to support it.

What is the evidence, explanation and link?

Answer 4

Evidence- In Schaffer and Emersons study, most infants showed separation protest between 6 to 8 months, with stranger anxiety appearing a month later. 87% had multiple attachments at 18 months and 31% had 5+ attachments.

Explanation- This supports the idea that, by the 4th stage, babies have made multiple attachments.

Link- This implies that the findings support the existence of the multiple attachment stage.

Question 5

If the point is;

However, a weakness of Schaffer and Emerson’s study into the stages of attachment theory is that there are methodological problems.

What is the evidence and link?

Answer 5

Evidence- The study lacks generalisability, as all the children were from Glasgow. This means that the findings cannot be generalised widely, as we don’t know if children from a wider population may have given other results. Therefore, this weakens the support for the stages of attachment theory.

Link- This suggests that the results may not be universal.

Question 6

If the point is:

Another strength of the stages of attachment theory is that there are practical applications for it.

What is the evidence, explanation and link?

Answer 6

Evidence- The stages of attachment theory can be practically applied to society and used as one measure of infant behaviour.

Explanation- This could help in the early identification of abnormal development in infancy and early diagnosis could potentially lead to earlier intervention.

Link- This suggests that studying these stages of attachment are benefiting children and families.

Question 7

If the point is:

Another weakness of the stages of attachment theory is that it can be considered culturally specific and limited to only describing an individualist concept of the development of attachments.

What is the evidence, explanation and link?

Answer 7

Evidence- The theory is based on research in an individualist culture where immediate family set ups are the norm for caregiving.

Explanation- The development of attachment relationships in collectivist cultures, particularly where group care is more common, may not reflect these stages.

Link- This suggests that Schaffer’s stages of attachment aren’t able to describe attachment in a universal way.

Question 8

What are the evaluation points for Schaffer’s stages of attachment?

Answer 8

+ Research to support it

— There are methodological problems with the study

+ Practical applications

— Can be considered culturally specific and limited to only describing an individualist concept of the development of attachments