Shaffer’s Stages Of Attachment

Question 1

What is Schaffer and Emerson’s (1964) study?

Answer 1

• Glasgow babies from majority WC families
• Mother asked to keep a diary
• researcher visited in their own homes asked them about everyday separation
• they identified 4 distinct stages in the development of infant attachment behaviour

Question 2

Schaffer and Emerson’s first stage of attachment

Answer 2

Asocial stage
- treats inanimate objects and humans fairly similarly
- not completely asocial as babies tend to show preference to familiar people
- at this stage baby is forming bonds

Question 3

Schaffer and Emerson’s second stage of attachment

Answer 3

Indiscriminate attachment
- from 2-7 months
- clear preference of humans over inanimate object’s
- accept cuddles and comfort from anyone
- show no separation anxiety or stranger anxiety

Question 4

Schaffer and Emerson’s third stage of attachment

Answer 4

Specific attachment
- from around 7 months
- display signs of attachment to one particular person
- experience stranger anxiety and separation anxiety
- forms an attachment with a primary attachment figure

Question 5

Schaffer and Emerson’s fourth stage of attachment

Answer 5

Multiple attachment
- extend attachment behaviour to multiple attachments
- these relationships are called secondary attachments
- by age 1 majority of babies had developed multiple attachments

Question 6

Criticisms of Schaffer and Emerson’s research
(W/ counterpoint)

Answer 6

• lacks population validity
• sample consisted of 60 WC mothers and babies from Glasgow who may form different attachment compared to infants from other countries of wealthier families
• can’t generalise the results
• high external validity, as they were in a natural environment and can generalise to children with similar demographics

Question 7

Criticism of Schaffer and Emerson’s research

Answer 7

• possibility of social desirability bias
• they interviewed the mother who may not have been truthful/ accurate in order to appear like ‘better’ mothers
• this would reduce the internal validity since natural behaviour was not recorded

Question 8

Problem with Schaffer and Emerson’s theory of the stages of attachment (w/ counterargument)

Answer 8

• asocial stage is difficult to study
• e.g babies have poor co-ordination and pretty immobile
• Therefore difficult to make judgement about their behaviour
• observations cannot be relied on
• however it has lead to real life applications in day care

Question 9

Weakness of Schaffer and Emerson’s theory

Answer 9

• conflicting evidence from different t cultures on multiple attachments
• not clear when multiple attachments happen
• e.g when multiple caregivers are the norm, multiple attachments may be form the outset
• their theory can be criticised as being ethnocentric

Question 10

What year was Schaffer and Emersons study done?

Answer 10

1964

Question 11

Schaffer and Emerson attachment conclusion?

Answer 11

attachments were most likely to form with those who responded accurately to the babies signals, not the person they spent the most time with.

Question 12

What is sensitive responsiveness?

Answer 12

The ability to perceive and interpret a child’s signals and communications accurately, and respond to them appropriately and promptly.