Stages of attachment

Question 1

Identify the stages of attachment and when they form in order

Answer 1

Associal stage: birth to 2 months

indiscriminate attachment stage: 3 months to 6 months

Discriminate attachment stage: 7 months to 9 months

Multiple attachment stage: 10 months onwards

Question 2

Describe each stage of attachment.

Answer 2

• Associal attachment: Infants show similar responses to objects and humans, at the end of this stage they will display a preference for eyes and faces.
• Indiscriminate attachment stage: Infants will show a preference for human company over non human company, they are easily comforted by anyone and will display no stranger anxiety
• Discriminate attachment stage: Infants will form a one attachment with their primary caregiver, they will display separation anxiety and stranger anxiety. They will also only be easily comforted by the primary caregiver only and show joy during reunion.

Multiple attachment stage: Infants will form more than just one attachment usually with friends and grandparents, their attachment with their primary caregiver is intact however their stranger and separation anxiety weakens

Question 3

Outline Schaffer and Emerson’s aim and method and findings.

Answer 3

Aim: To investigate The formation of attachment within infants

Method: They investigated 60 Glasgow babies in their homes. They visited the babies once a month from birth to 12 months then later on 18 months after birth. They investigated the infants by observing their behaviour when they were with their mother and when they were alone, they also conducted interviews with their mothers.

Findings: On weeks 25-32 50% of infants displayed separation anxiety which was expected as this time period is during the discriminate attachment stage. During week 40 80% of infants formed a discriminate attachment and 30% had formed multiple attachments.

Question 4

Outline the conclusion for Schaffer and Emmersons research

Answer 4

The formation of attachment develops through stages.

Question 5

AO3 for schaffer and emmerson

Answer 5

• Self report method
• Lacks population validity
• High ecological validity