Stages of Attachment Flashcards
What are the 4 stages of attachment
Asocial stage, Indiscriminate attachment, Specific attachment, Multiple attachment
When does the Asocial Stage occur
First Few Weeks
What occurs during the asocial stage
Baby responds to people and inanimate objects in the same way.
Some slight preference for familiar people. (easier to calm)
Babies are happier in general in the presence of people.
When does the indiscriminate stage occur
2-7 Months
What occurs during indiscriminate stage
More observable behaviour in general.
A preference for people over objects
Recognise familiar people
Attachment is called indiscriminate as they are the same towards all people.
Do not yet show stranger or separation anxiety.
When does the specific attachment stage occur
From 7 months +
What occurs during the specific attachment stage
Show stranger anxiety and separation anxiety when separated from one particular person.
Specific attachment to PRIMARY CARE GIVER.
Most likely the person who offers most interaction and responds well to signals.
(mother in 65% of cases)
When does multiple attachment stage occur
10 months +
What occurs during the multiple attachment stage
Secondary attachments form
29% have a secondary attachment within a month of primary.
By 1 year old most have multiple attachment.
What is the issue with studying the asocial stage
it is very difficult to gather any meaningful data from infants at this age as they’re immobile and have little coordination.
who were the p’s of Schafer and Emerson’s study
60 babies from Glasgow. Most from working class families.
When were mothers/babies visited in Schafer and Emerson’s study
once a month for 1 year and then again at 18 months.
What did researchers ask the parents to do
to observe their children in different circumstances, keep a diary of their observations and report back to the researchers. EG. Separation anxiety, stranger anxiety.
Give examples of circumstances parents were asked to observe and record
Left alone in a room, left alone with a stranger, left alone in their cot.
Stranger anxiety – also directly observed by S&E when they visited the families.
What did Schafer and Emerson find put simply
Babies developed attachment through a series of stages from asocial to multiple.Specific attachment tended to be to the person who was most interactive and sensitive (reciprocity). Not necessarily the person they spent most time with.
What did Schafer and Emerson find at 25 - 32 weeks
Between 25 – 32 weeks – 50% of the babies showed separation anxiety towards a particular adult, usually the biological mothers (specific attachment).
What did Schafer and Emerson find at 40 weeks
nearly 30% had formed multiple attachment (usually formed once the specific attachment had been formed). These were described as secondary attachments.
Give an evaluation of Schafer and Emerson’s study based on external validity (strength)
Most of the observations were made by parents, during ordinary days and interactions, in their home environments.
The alternative would have been to observe all aspects during visits but the researchers presence may have affected the babies.
This method means it was highly likely that the P’s behaved naturally while being observed.
Give an evaluation of Schafer and Emerson’s study based on their sample (weakness)
Schaffer and Emerson based their stages on a single but large-scale study of babies’ development conducted in working-class Glasgow.
However, child-rearing practices vary considerably according to cultural and historical context e.g. multiple attachments is the norm in collectivist cultures (van IJzendoorn 1993).
This means that some of the observations from this study may not generalise to other populations.
Give an evaluation of Schafer and Emerson’s study based on bias (Weakness)
Mothers may have been biased with what they reported.
They might not have noticed some behaviours or may have issues with recall.
Even if the babies had behaved naturally, they might not have had their behaviour accurately reported.
Give an evaluation of Schafer and Emerson’s study based on real world application (strength)
A strength is real-world application to day care.
In the early stages (asocial and indiscriminate attachments) babies can be comforted by any skilled adult.
But if a child starts day care later, during the stage of specific attachments, care from an unfamiliar adult may cause distress and longer-term problems.
This means that Schaffer and Emerson’s stages can help parents makingday care decisions.
