Schaffer and Emmerson 1964
this lays out the aims, method, findings and evaluation of the schaffer and emmerson study, 1964
- Created by: tiaayana
- Created on: 05-05-20 20:08
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- Schaffer & Emmerson, 1964
- aim of the study:
- to find the age at which attachments start and how intense these are
- method:
- they studied 60 Glaswegian babies from working class families
- they were observed every 4 weeks until they were 1 then again at 18 months
- interviews were also conducted with the mothers about the infant
- they were observed every 4 weeks until they were 1 then again at 18 months
- they studied 60 Glaswegian babies from working class families
- variables:
- separation anxiety
- stranger anxiety
- findings:
- the first specific attachment was formed by 50% of the babies between 25 and 32 weeks
- multiple attachments began after the first attachment was formed
- by 18 momnths, 31% had 5 or more attachments
- 4 stages of human development:
- asocial
- indiscriminate attachment
- specific attachment
- multiple attachment
- once the primary attachment is made, the infant can go and make attachments with many others
- 29% made a secondary attachment within one month of making the primary attachment
- there is not though to be a limit of attachments, but they may vary in strength
- 7-11 months
- expresses distress when separated from one particular care-giver
- 65% of primary attachments were the mother
- shows signs of wariness when in the company of stranger (stranger anxiety)
- multiple attachment
- 6 weeks-7 months
- infants smile at familiar faces and enjoy human company
- they don't show stranger or separation anxiety
- specific attachment
- 0-6 weeks
- infants respond favourably (e.g smile) to human and non-human stimuli
- babies respond equally to all care-givers
- evaluation:
- babies are very young, have poor co-ordination and are quite immobile
- not much to observe
- indiscriminate attachment
- evaluation:
- issues with stage theories:
- difficult to put human behaviour inro stages
- presents human development as inflexible
- states you must have single attachments before multiple but this isn't always the case
- cultural bias:
- these stages were created in the west
- in collectivist cultures (e.e China, India), raising a child is done by multiple people so multiple attachments are formed before single- Van Izjendoorn
- the study lacks external validity as it can't be generalised to other cultures
- cultural bias:
- issues with stage theories:
- asocial
- evaluation:
- sample bias:
- working class population- the study may not apply to other social groups
- Glasgow- the findings could be different in other populations
- 1960s- if the same experiment was carried out today, the results would most likely be different
- self-report of mothers:
- they may not record if they were less sensitive to their child's needs
- questions the internal validity of the study
- they want to present themselves in a positive light
- questions the internal validity of the study
- prone to bias and inaccuracy
- they may not record if they were less sensitive to their child's needs
- good internal validity
- natural environment
- high ecological validity
- baby's behaviour wasn't affected by the presence of others
- sample bias:
- aim of the study:
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