Stages Of Attachment Flashcards
Who came up with the stages of attachment
Schaffer and Emerson
What was the purpose of Schaffer and Emerson research
To show how attachment behaviour change as a baby gets older.
What are the 4 stages of attachment
- Stage 1: Asocial stage
- Stage 2: Indiscriminate attachments
- Stage 3: Specific attachments
- Stage 4: Multiple attachments
What was the sample like in Schaffer and Emerson study
- 60 babies - 31 boys and 29 girls.
- All were from Glasgow
- Majority from skilled working-class families
What was the procedure of the study
Researchers visited babies mothers in their own homes every month for the first year and once again at 18 months to assess attachment.
They assessed separation anxiety (how much protest their babies in 7 situations)
They assessed stranger anxiety (the babies’ anxiety response to unfamiliar people.)
What are the results of the research
- By 25-32 weeks, 50% showed separation anxiety
- By 40 weeks, 80% had a specific attachment to primary caregiver and 30% displayed multiple attachments
What are the conclusions of the study?
It can be concluded that attachment behaviour came change as baby gets older, supporting stages of attachment
What is a strength of the Schaffer and Emmerson’s study?
P: One strength of the Schaffer and Emmerson’s study is that it has good external validity.
E: Schaffer and Emmerson’s study was carried out in the family’s own homes and most of the observation (other than stranger anxiety) was done by parents during ordinary activities. This means that the behaviour was not affected by external observers (demand characteristics) so would have been natural
L: Therefore as the study took place largely in every day settings, it could be said to have good external validity.
What is a weakness of the Schaffer and Emmerson’s study in regards to data collection ?
P: One issue is that the data collected was based on self-reports of the mothers who reported intensity of protest when separated and who was it directed towards as well as the observer noting stranger anxiety when they visited the house.
E: This means that it is impossible to be totally convinced that what was reported was true. People often in self-reports often want to show a good side.
L: Therefore as we can’t be sure that everything reported was true, this raises issues of the validity of the data collected by Schaffer and Emmerson.
What is a weakness of the Schaffer and Emmerson’s study in regards to the sample?
P: One problem is that the Glasgow study had limited sample characteristics.
E: The problem is that all of the 60 families involved were from the same district, social class and at a time over 50 years ago is a problem.
L: Therefore, you can’t generalise to other cultures, for example collectivist cultures, where multiple attachments from a very early age are more the norm. The results may also be outdated and not relevant in today’s society.
What is a strength of the Schaffer and Emmerson’s study to practical application?
P: Another strength of Schaffer and Emerson’s stages is that they have practical application in day care.
E: In the asocial and indiscriminate attachment stages day care is likely to be straightforward as babies can be comforted by an adult. However, their research tells us that day care, especially starting day care with an unfamiliar adult, may be problematic during the specific attachment stages.
L: This means that parents’ use of day care can be planned using Schaffer and Emerson’s stages.
