3.2 Stages of Attachment

3.2 Stages of Attachment

1. Schaffer and Emerson (1964): studied 60 babies, all from Glasgow of similar class backgrounds. Visited mothers in their own homes at 1 year then again at 18 months. Interviewed the mothers about the babies behaviour to measure adaption.

   • Stages:
     • 1. Asocial Stage - Little distinction between humans and inanimate objects, tend to show preference for eyes and company of people familiar to them.
       • 2. Indiscriminate attachment - 2-7 months, show clear preference for other humans rather than objects. Recognise and prefer familiar people. Do not show separation or stranger anxiety.
         • 3. Specific attachment - 7 months +, display stranger and separation anxiety. Said to have formed a primary attachment to a certain person by this point, most commonly the mother.
           • 4. Multiple attachments - 1 year, begin to form multiple secondary attachments, show clear anxiety and attachment behaviours. 29% formed secondary attachments within a month of forming a primary one.

2. Evaluation

   • Strengths:
     • Good external validity. Most observations were made by parents during ordinary activities, highly likely that behaviour was natural.
     • Practical application. Parents' use of daycare can be planned alongside attachment stages.
   • Weaknesses:
     • Poor evidence for asocial stage. Young babies are fairly immobile so their actions may have been subtle, therefore there is difficulty in observing and picking up signs.
     • Bias issues. The mother as the observer is unlikely to be closely objective.