Schaffer: Stages In Attachment Formation Flashcards
The pre-attached/social phase: age
0-3 months
The pre-attached/social phase: the baby learns
to separate people from objects but doesn’t have any strong preferences about who cares for it
The indiscriminate or diffuse attachment stage: age
6 weeks - 7 months
The indiscriminate or diffuse attachment stage: the infant starts to clearly
distinguish and recognise different people, smiling more at people it knows than at strangers
The indiscriminate or diffuse attachment stage: however, there are still no
strong preference about who cares for it
The discriminate or single attachment phase: age
7 - 11 months
The discriminate or single attachment phase: the infant becomes able to form
a strong attachment with an individual
The discriminate or single attachment phase: this attachment is shown by being
content when that person is around, distressed when they leave and happy when they return
The discriminate or single attachment phase: it may be
scared of strangers and avoid them
The multiple attachment phase: age
nine month
The multiple attachment phase: the inform can form attachments
with many different people
The multiple attachment phase: some attachments may be
stronger than others and have different functions
The multiple attachment phase: after 18 months
approximately 32% of babies had at least five attachments
The multiple attachment phase: which attachment was the strongest?
the original attachment was the stongest
Schaffer and Emerson: date
1964
Schaffer and Emerson (1964): Method - how many babies were observed?
60
Schaffer and Emerson (1964): Method - where were the babies observed?
in their homes in Glasgow
Schaffer and Emerson (1964): Method - how often were the babies visited?
every 4 weeks
Schaffer and Emerson (1964): Method - how long were the babies being observed?
18 method
Schaffer and Emerson (1964): Results - where the stages found to occur?
yes
Schaffer and Emerson (1964): Results - at the age of 8 months
about 50 of the infants had more than one attachment
Schaffer and Emerson (1964): Results - about 20 of them either had
no attachment with their mother or had a stronger attachment with someone else
Schaffer and Emerson (1964): Conclusion - infants form attachments in
stages
Schaffer and Emerson (1964): Conclusion - eventually can attach to
many people
Schaffer and Emerson (1964): Conclusion - quality of care is
important to form attachments
Schaffer and Emerson (1964): Conclusion - an infant might not attach with their mother if they have
a low quality of care
