Stages Of Attachment / Multiple Attachments

Question 1

Who did research into stages and multiple attachment, what was their aim and sample ?

Answer 1

• Schaffer and Emerson investigated the FORMATION of stages and multiple attachments, the age they develop and who with
• longitudinal study on 60 working class infants and mothers from glasgow

Question 2

What was Schaffer and Emersons procedure into stages and multiple attachments?

Answer 2

• infants and their mothers were visited, observed and interviewed at their own homes every month for the infants 1st year and again at 18 months
• attachment was measured using seperation and stranger anx
• seperation anx = assessed by leaving infant alone in room or asking mum how infant reacts in this situation
• stranger anx = assessed by researcher approaching infant to see if this distressed child
• researchers also asked mother questions such as who infants smiled at and responded to

Question 3

What were Schaffer and Emersons findings (brief) and conclusions of their research into stages and multiple attachments?

Answer 3

• they found there was 4 stages to attachment
• asocial = first few weeks, infants bhv to adults and objects is similar
• indiscriminate = 2-7 months, infants show a preference to ppl over objects, no stranger/sep anx
• specific = from 7 months, infants start to form att, show stranger/sep anx, 65% of cases specific attachment was with mother
• multiple = a month after forming a specific att, 29% of infants formed multiple att. by 1 year, most infants had formed multiple att. at 18 months, 75% of infants had att with dad
• they concluded infants form att in stages and multiple att can be formed

Question 4

Outline the descriptive features of the asocial phase (first few weeks)

Answer 4

• bhv towards humans and objects is similar
• however infants are happier in presence of humans

Question 5

Outline the descriptive features of the indiscriminate att phase (2-7 months)

Answer 5

• bhv becomes more observably sociable
• recognise and prefer familiar humans over objects
• accept cuddles/comfort from any adult, no stranger/sep anx

Question 6

Outline the descriptive features of the specific att phase (from 7 months)

Answer 6

• show stranger/sep anx when seperated from 1 familiar adult infant has specific att with, mother in 65% of cases
• this is with adult who offers most interaction and response to infants signals, so not necessarily who infant spends most time with

Question 7

Outline the descriptive features of the multiple att phase

Answer 7

• after children form specific att, they extend this att bhv to other adults they spend most time with, this is shown in schaffer and emersons study
• a month after forming a specific att, 29% of infants formed multiple att
• by 1 year, most infants had formed multiple att
• at 18 months, 75% of infants had att with dad

Question 8

What are the three AO3 points to evaluate stages and multiple att by schaffer and emerson?

Answer 8

• high eco val
• social desirability bias
• culture bias