schaffer's stages of attachment

Question 1

what did Rudolf Schaffer and Peggy Emerson aim to investigate

Answer 1

Rudolf Schaffer and Peggy Emerson (1954) aimed to investigate the formation of early attachments in particular the age at which they developed, their emotional intensity and whom they were directed towards

Question 2

how did Schaffer and Emerson investigate attachments

Answer 2

METHOD
the study involved 60 babies - 31 male, 29 female

All were from Glasgow and the researcher asked the mothers about the kind of protest their babies showed in seven everyday separations, e.g. adult leaving the room (a measure of separation anxiety)

This was designed to measure the infant’s attachment
The researchers also assessed - stranger anxiety - the infants’ anxiety response to unfamiliar adults

Question 3

what were the findings from Schaffer and Emerson’s research

Answer 3

1. between 25 and 32 weeks of age about 50% of the babies showed signs of separation anxiety towards a particular adult, usually the mother (this is called specific attachment)
2. attachment tended to be the caregiver who was most interactive and sensitive to the infant signals and facial expressions (i.e. reciprocity)
   This was not necessarily the person with whom the infant spent most time
3. By the age of 40 weeks 80% of the babies had a specific attachment and 30% displayed multiple attachment

Question 4

what are the four stages of attachment

Answer 4

based on the info they gathered on developing attachments, Schaffer and Emerson proposed that attachments develop in four stages

stage 1: asocial stage (first few weeks)

stage 2: indiscimination attachment

stage 3: specific attachment

stage 4: multiple attachments

Question 5

what happens in stage 1: the asocial stage occurs in the first few weeks

Answer 5

it is not really an asocial stage, as the baby is recognising and forming bonds with carers

However, the baby’s behaviour towards non - human objects and humans is quite similar

Babies show some preference for familiar adults in that those individuals find it easier to calm them down

Babies are also happier in the presence of other humans

Question 6

what happens in stage 2 : the indiscrimate attachment

Answer 6

2- 7 months babies display more observable social behaviour

be show a preference for people rather than inanimate objects, and recognise and prefer familiar adults

At this stage babies usually accept cuddles and comfort from any adult, and they do not usually show separation anxiety or stranger anxiety

attachment behaviour is therefore said to be indiscriminate because it is not different towards any one person

Question 7

what happens in stage 3: specific attachment

Answer 7

happens at around 7 months

The majority of babies start to display anxiety towards strangers and to become anxious when separated by one particular adult ( the biological mother in 65%)
- at this point the baby is said to have formed a specific attachment

This adult is not necessarily the person the child spends most time with both the one who offers the most interaction and responds to the baby’s signals’ with most skill

Question 8

what happens during stage 4:

multiple attachments

Answer 8

Shortly after babies start to show attachment behaviour towards one adult they usually extend this attachment behaviour to multiple attachments with other adults with whom they regularly spend time
- these relationships are called secondary attachments

In Schaffer and Emerson’s study, 29% of the children had secondary attachments within a month of forming a primary (specific) attachment

By the age of about 1 year, the majority of infants had developed multiple attachments