The Development Of Attachment

Question 1

Schaffer and Emerson (1960)

1. Indiscriminate Attachments

Answer 1

infants produce similar responses to all objects. Towards 2 months they show a greater preference go social stimuli (smiling face)
Reciprocity and Synchrony play a role

Question 2

Schaffer and Emerson (1960)

2. The Beginnings of Attachment

Answer 2

around 4 months, infants become more social and prefer human company
they can distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar people but are easily comforted by anyone
they DON’T show stranger anxiety

Question 3

Schaffer and Emerson (1960)

3. Discriminate Attachments

Answer 3

by 7 months, infants show separation admixture and have a primary attachment figure.
They show stranger anxiety and were strongly attached if their mother responded quickly and showed interaction

Question 4

Schaffer and Emerson (1960)

4. Multiple Attachments

Answer 4

soon after the first attachment forms, the infant forms multiple usually within the first month of first becoming attached. These are often with siblings, grandparents etc
They also show separation anxiety

Question 5

The role of the father:

Primary Attachment

Answer 5

fathers are less likely to be primary attachment figures than mothers perhaps due to their emotional sensitivity associated with biological&social. Frank found that in two-parent families where the father is the primary caregiver, both parents often share this role. So, men can be the primary but biological and social factors may discourage this

Question 6

The role of the father:
Secondary attachments
Geiger (1996)

Answer 6

fathers often have the playful and physically active role. They’re a playmate whereas mothers are more conventional (reading stories)