Schaffer's Stages of Attachment

First few weeks of life

The baby's behaviour towards inanimate objects and humans is quite similar

There is some preference for familiar adults- the baby can be more easily calmed by them

Babies are happier in the presence of other humans

2-7 months old

Babies display more observable social behaviour, with a preference for people over inanimate objects

They recognise and prefer familiar adults

Babies don't show stranger or separation anxiety

Attachment is indiscriminate- the same towards all

From around 7 months

Stranger and separation anxiety is shown when separated from one particular adult- a specific attachment has been formed with the primary caregiver

This is the biological mother in 65% of cases, but is usually the person who best responds to the baby's 'signals' and offers most interaction

By one year old

Secondary attachments with other adults are formed

29% of babies form a secondary attachment within a month of forming a primary attachment

By the age of 1 year, multiple secondary attachments are formed

Procedure

Studied 60 babies from Glasgow, most from working class families

Babies and their mothers were visited at home every month for a year and again at 18 months

Separation anxiety was measured by asking mothers about children's behaviour during everyday separations e.g. adult leaving the room

Stranger anxiety was measured by asking mothers questions about their children's response to unfamiliar adults

Findings and conclusions

50% of babies showed showed separation anxiety to a particular adult between 25 and 32 weeks old

This speific attachment was usually with the mother

Attachment tended to be to the caregiver who was the most interactive and sensitive to infants signals and facial expressions i.e. showed the most signs of reciprocity

This was not necessarily the person who the infant spent most time with

Study has external validity

• Observations made by parents and reported to researchers, so child's behaviour wasn't affected by the presence of observers
• Highly likely participants would have behaved naturally while being observed

Carried out longitudinally

• Children were followed up and observed regularly
• Has a high internal validity because they do not have the confounding variable of individual differences between participants (participant variables)

May be a problem with how multiple attachment is assessed

• Just because a baby gets distressed when an adult leaves the room doesn't mean they are a 'true' attachment figure e.g. a playmate or a secondary attachment
• The view of stages doesn't distinguish between behaviour shown towards secondary attachment figures or playmates

Problems studying the asocial year

• Important interactions take place during the asocial year, but young babies are fairly immobile and uncoordinated, so it is difficult to make judgements based on observed behaviour
• Because of flawed methods, they may appear asocial, when in fact, they may be social

Evidence on timing of multiple attachments is confusing

• Bowlby: All babies form a primary attachment before developing multiple attachments, but in some cultures, multiple attachments from the outset are the norm
• The stages of attachment don't account for and can't be generalised to cultural differences