Schaffers Stages Of Attachment

Question 1

What was the aim of the study

Answer 1

To investigate formation of early attachment: what age they developed, their emotional intensity and whom they were directed at

Question 2

Outline the method

Answer 2

1. 60 babies- 30 male, 30 female
2. All from Glasgow, majority from skilled working class
3. Babies and mothers visited every month for a year and asked questions
4. Qs about separation and stranger anxiety to measure attachment

Question 3

Outline findings

Answer 3

1. 25-32 (7 months) weeks about 50% showed separation anxiety to specific adult (usually mother) called specific attachment
2. Attachment formed to most interactive and sensitive to signals not who spent most time
3. 40 weeks: 80% had specific attachment and 30% multiple attachment

Question 4

What are the 4 stages of attachment

Answer 4

1. Asocial stage
2. Indiscriminate attachment
3. Specific attachment
4. Multiple attachment

Question 5

What were the methods used

Answer 5

Self-report and observation

Question 6

Describe asocial stage

Answer 6

1. First few weeks
2. Baby recognising and forming bonds with carers
3. Behaviour to human and non human is similar
4. Show preference to familiar adults

Question 7

Describe stage 2- indiscriminate

Answer 7

1. 2-7 months
2. More observable social behaviour, show preference to people over objects
3. Do not show separation or stranger anxiety
4. Accept cuddles and comfort from any adults

Question 8

Describe stage 3- specific

Answer 8

1. 7 months
2. Stranger anxiety and separation anxiety when separated from one particular adult (65% was mother)
3. Baby has specific attachment to primary attachment figure

Question 9

Describe stage 4- multiple

Answer 9

1. Shortly after stage 3, babies extend attachment to other adults they spend time with
2. Called secondary attachments
3. 30% formed a month after primary attachment

Question 10

Good external validity

Answer 10

1. carried out in own homes
2. Observations carried out by mothers then reported later
3. Babies behaviour unaffected by observers
4. Natural behaviour

Question 11

Longitudinal design

Answer 11

1. Study carried out longitudinally
2. More effort observing children at different stages
3. Better because does not have confounding variables of individual differences (participant variables)

Question 12

Limited generalisability

Answer 12

1. Despite large volume of data on each participant
2. All from same city and background
3. From 55 years ago
4. Child raising may vary from culture-time-background
5. Cannot generalise to other social contexts

Question 13

Problem studying asocial stage

Answer 13

1. Babies pretty much immobile
2. Therefore very difficult to make judgements on observable behaviour
3. Doesn’t mean child’s cognition not highly social

Question 14

Limited behavioural measures

Answer 14

Stranger and separation anxiety may be too crude a measure for attachment