schaffers stages

Question 1

Schaffer and Emerson (1964)

Answer 1

● 60 babies from Glasgow, most from working-class families
● Babies and their mothers were visited at home every month for a year (longitudinl study)
● A follow up visit at 18 months
● Separation anxiety measured by asking mothers about their children’s behaviour
● Stranger anxiety measured by asking mothers questions about their children’s anxiety response to unfamiliar adults

Question 2

findings and conclusions

Answer 2

● 50% of babies showed separation anxiety towards a particular adult by 25-32 weeks of age
● Stranger anxiety occurred in most babies approximately one month later
● In the 18 month follow up visit 87% had developed multiple attachments
● Attachment tended to be the caregiver who was most interactive and
sensitive to infant signals i.e. reciprocity → not necessarily the person the infant spent most time with
→ this suggests that development occurs in stages in all babies as suggested by Schaffer, perhaps being a biologically controlled process

Question 3

what are the 4 stages?

Answer 3

1. Asocial stage (0-6 weeks)
   - inanimate objects and humans is quite similar
   - preference for familiar adults
   - happier in the presence of humans
2. Indiscriminate attachment (6 weeks - 6 months)
   - people rather than inanimate objects
   - Recognise and prefer familiar adults
   - Babies do not show stranger or separation anxiety
   - same towards all
3. Specific attachment (7+ months)
   - Stranger anxiety and separation anxiety when separated from one particular primary caregiver (formed an attachment)
   - joy upon reunion when reunited with caregiver
4. Multiple attachments (9+ months)
   - Secondary attachments with other adults form shortly after
   - In Schaffer and Emerson’s study, 29% of babies had secondary (multiple) attachments within a month of forming a primary (specific) attachment
   - By the age of 1 year, the majority of infants had multiple secondary attachments