Stages of attachment

Question 1

Describe Schaffer and Emerson study

Answer 1

Aim: investigate formation of early attachments
procedure:

• longitudinal study 60 newborns + mum (glasgow)
• visited at home every month for 1st year of baby life + again at 18 months
• observations + interviews were used
  attachment was measured in 2 ways:
• separation anxiety: assessed by infant being left alone, researcher asked mother how infant reacts
• stranger anxiety: researcher starting each home visit by approaching the infant to see if this distressed the child, asked Q “who infant smiled at”

Question 2

what are the 4 stages of attachment
( juvenile and Emerson ) *AISM

Answer 2

• Asocial: babies behav to adults and inanimate objects were similar
• indiscriminate: babies show preference to ppl over objects no str+sep anxiety
• Specific: around 7 months start to form attachments show sep+str anxiety when seperated, 65% case w mothers
• multiple: within 1 month of formin attachment 29% formed multiple, 18 months 75% w fathers

Question 3

AO3 for stages of attachment

Answer 3

High eco validity

• families own home durin normal activities by parents such as leaving the room
• easier to gen findings to IRL examples of attachment as children beh likely to be represent of everyday interactions
• Therefore inc ext val

prone to social desirability as interviews used

• mothers could have lied present themself in best possible light
• EG: may say child distressed when leave room even if they are not
• lack int val not measure true stages of attachment

Culture bias

• sample from same city (glasgow)
• diff to gen findin of stages attach to other cultures
• EG: non-western (Collectivist) cultures families work together look after child found that infants can form multiple attachments from outset W/O formin specif attachment first
• limiting ext val