Stages Of Attachment-Schaffer and Emerson

Question 1

Explain the procedure of the study.

Answer 1

-longitudinal study on 60 WC infants and there mother from Glasgow
-They were visited in there own homes in the first years of the infants life and again at 18 months
-Interviews and Observations used

Question 2

How did they measure the stages?

Answer 2

Separation Anxiety-infant was left alone in a room/ mothers were asked about the instance.
Stranger anxiety- researcher would approach infant in first meeting to see distressed levels/ asked mothers questions e.g who they smile at.

Question 3

How many stages did they find?

Answer 3

4

Question 4

Explain and name the 4 stages.

Answer 4

ASOCIAL-(first few weeks) infants behaviour to adults and inanimate objects was similar
INDISCRIMINATE-(2-7 months)

Question 5

What are the 3 Evaluations?

Answer 5

-High ecological validity
-Social desirability bias
-Culture bias

Question 6

Explain the evaluation of high ecological validity.

Answer 6

-it was carried out in own homes
-ordinary activities such as the parent leaving the room
-easily generalise the findings to real life cases
-The behaviour of infant is likely to represent everyday interaction
-increasing EV

Question 7

Explain the evaluation of social desirability bias.

Answer 7

-interviews were carried out to gather information
-mothers could have lied about child’s behaviour
-to present parenting in the best possible light
-lack IV as the true stages of attachment weren’t measured

Question 8

Explain the evaluation of Culture bias.

Answer 8

-sample was from the same city (Glasgow)
-difficult to generalise findings of stages of attachment with other cultures
-e.g psychologists studying non-western cultures found that infants form multiple attachments from the outset without forming a specific attachment first
-thus limiting EV