Schaffer's stages of attachment

Question 1

who proposed the 4 stages of attachment

Answer 1

schaffer and emerson

Question 2

what are the 4 stages of attachment

Answer 2

• asocial stage
• indiscriminate attachment
• specific attachment
• multiple attachment

Question 3

at what age is the asocial stage

Answer 3

first few weeks

Question 4

describe the asocial stage

Answer 4

observable behaviour to humans and inanimate objects is fairly similar

babies show a preference for familiar people so are more easily comforted by them

Question 5

at what age does the indiscriminate attachment stage occur

Answer 5

2-7 months

Question 6

describe the indiscriminate attachment stage

Answer 6

babies display a clear preference for being with humans

recognise and prefer the company of familiar people

but will accept cuddles and comfort from any person

Question 7

at what age does the specific attachment stage occur

Answer 7

7 months

Question 8

describe the specific attachment stage

Answer 8

babies display separation anxiety when separated from attachment figure and show stranger anxiety when in the presence of new people

baby forms a specific attachment and the person they are attached to is the primary attachment figure. They tend to offer the most interaction and responds to babies signals with the most skill

this is the baby’s mother in 65% of cases

Question 9

at what age does the multiple attachment stage occur

Answer 9

10 months onwards

Question 10

describe what happens during the multiple attachment stage

Answer 10

after primary attachment figure is made the babies extend the behaviour used to form attachments to make multiple secondary attachments

Schaffer and Emerson observed 29% of children formed secondary attachments within a month of forming primary attachments

by the age of 1 year most babies had formed multiple attachments

Question 11

what was the procedure of Schaffer’s and Emerson’s study

Answer 11

60 babies (31 boys and 29 girls) from Glasgow from skilled working class families

researchers visited babies and mothers in their home every month for 1st year and again at 18 months

researchers assessed stranger anxiety and separation anxiety

Question 12

what % of babies between 25-32 weeks showed separation anxiety to adult

Answer 12

50%

Question 13

by 40 weeks what % of babies had formed a specific attachment

Answer 13

80%

Question 14

by 40 weeks what % of babies displayed multiple attachments

Answer 14

30%