Stages Of Attachment Flashcards

1
Q

Who investigated the 4 stages of attachment

A

Shaffer & Emerson (1964)

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2
Q

What are the 4 stages of attachment

A
  1. Pre-attachment
  2. Indiscrimate attachment
  3. Discrimate attachment
  4. Multiple attachments
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3
Q

How did Shaffer and Emerson (1964) investigate the development of attachment

A
  • a longitudinal study where they followed 60 infants + their mother for two years. They decided that there were 4 stages of the development of attachment in infants
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4
Q

What is pre-attachment (0-3 Months)

A

From 6 weeks of age, infants become attracted to other humans, preferring them to objects and events
-> this preference is demonstrated by their smiling @ people’s faces

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5
Q

What is indiscriminate attachment (3-7) months

A

Infants begin to discriminate between familiar & unfamiliar people, smiling more at people they know
They still allow strangers to handle them

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6
Q

What is discriminate attachment (7 months onwards)

A
  • infants develop a specific attachment to their primary attachment figure (usually the mother:
  • they show separation protest, and display stranger anxiety

The primary attachment figure was not always who spent the most time with the child

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7
Q

What is multiple attachments (7 months onwards)

A
  • infants develop strong emotional ties with other major caregivers (e.g. father) and non care-givers (e.g. siblings)
    These are called secondary attachments: the fear of strangers weakens but their attachment to their primary attachment figure = strongest
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8
Q

Why might the data Shaffer and Emerson collected be unreliable

A

Was based on mothers reports of their infants
- some mothers might be less sensitive to their infants protests + therefore less likely to report them

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9
Q

Why was the Shaffer & Emerson study sample bias

A
  • only included infants for, working class population + from individualist cultures
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10
Q

Why does this theory not have temporal validity

A

Conducted in the 1960s & parental care of children has changed considerably since then
- more women work / stay at home men

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11
Q

Stage theories like this are inflexible and do not take into account individual differences, such as…

A

how some infants might form multiple attachments first, rather than starting with a single attachments

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12
Q

What did Shaffer & Emerson find out about the role of the father

A

That they were less likely to be the primary attachment figure than mothers

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13
Q

Why might men be less likely to be the primary attachment figure

A
  • may spend less time with children
  • may not be psychologically equipped (they may lack emotional sensitivity)
  • biological factors (e.g. how female hormone oxytocin underlies caring behaviour)
  • due to social norms
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14
Q

However, Shaffer & Emerson (1964) found that […] % of infants had formed an attachment with their father at […] months

A

75%
18 months

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15
Q

Who found that fathers CAN even be the primary attachment figure

A

Field 1978

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