schaffer’s stages of attachment AO3

Question 1

evaluation of schaffer’s stage of attachment - asocial stage (limitation)

Answer 1

• that there are problems studying the asocial stage.
• this is because it is during the first few weeks of a baby’s life. although important interactions take place, the problem is that babies are young meaning they have poor co-ordination and are immobile.
• therefore, it is very difficult to make any judgements about them based on first observations of behaviour.
• this is a limitation because the evidence cannot be relied on and therefore it may lack credibility.

Question 2

evauation of schaffer and emerson’s research - good external validity (strength)

Answer 2

• that it has good external validity.
• most of the observations were made by parents during ordinary activities and reported to the researchers. the alternative would have been to have researchers present to record observations. this might have distracted the babies.
• this means it is highly likely that the participants behaved naturally while being observed.

Question 3

evaluation of schaffer and emerson’s research - good external validity (COUNTERPOINT)

Answer 3

• on the other hand, there are issues with asking the mothers to be the ‘observers’.
• they were unlikely to be objective observers. they might have been biased in terms of what they noticed and what they reported, for example they might not have noticed when their baby was showing signs of anxiety or they may have misremembered it.
• this means that even if babies behaved naturally, their behaviour may not have been accurately recorded.