Schaffer Stages of Attachment

Key Terms

Stages of Attachment - many developmental theories identify sequence of qualitatively different behaviours linked to specific ages

Multiple Attachments - attachments to two or more people - most babies appear to develop multiple attachments once they have formed one true attachment to main carer 

Procedure - Schaffer & Emerson

• Mothers of 60 Glaswegian babies were visited monthly for year & at 18 months
• Seperation anxiety - asked mothers about separation anxiety in the everyday, e.g. leaving the room
• Stranger anxiety - observed response to unfamiliar adults, e.g. researcher

Findings

• 50% showed separation anxiety towards mother at 25 - 32 weeks - specific attachment
• Attachment was to most interactive caregiver

Asocial Stage - first few weeks

• Little observable social behaviour but show preference to familiar adults
• Happier in human company

Indiscriminate Attachment - 2 - 7 months

• More observable social behaviour - preference to familiar adults
• Accept comfort from any adult

Specific Attachment - 7 months

• Majority start to display separation/stranger anxiety to 1 particular adult - usually PA figure

Multiple Attachment - 1 year

• Attachment behaviour directed towards more than 1 adult - SA figures

Asocial Stage - L

• Babies have poor co-ordination & are immobile
• Therefore, hard to make judgements based on behaviour observation - lacks validity 

Conflicting Evidence - L

• Bowlby states babies form PA's before secondary/multiple attachments
• Ijzendoorn et al state collectivist culture see families help from outset so SA's form from birth
• Contradicts Schaffer's findings and conclusions

Measuring Multiple Attachments - L

• Babies showing separation anxiety doesn't mean they've formed attachment
• Schaffer & Emerson fail to distinguish between SA's & playmates - distress shown when playmates leave
• Limitation as no way to tell difference between playmate or SA distress

Good External Validity - S

• Observation done in ppts homes & parents reported findings
• Babies behaviour unlikely to be affected by others presence
• Behaviours were natural increasing validity

Longitudinal Design - S

• Same children followed up & observed regularly
• Better internal validity - no individual differences between ppts

Limited Sample Characteristics - L

• All families from same area & over 50 years ago
• Child rearing have changed since then
• Can't generalise findings to modern day