Stages of Attachment

Stages of Attachment

1. Schaffer & Emerson

   • Aim: provide descriptive data about attachment, intensity of attachments, any individual differences, two measures used. 1) Stranger fear 2) separation anxiety
     • Procedure: longitudinal, naturalistic observation monthly follow up visit 18 months later, 60 infants, asked mothers about infants in situations of separation, mothers kept diary in 7 situations. Mothers interviewed.
       • Results: several stages found in attachment, asocial, indiscriminate, discriminate, multiple
         • Conclusion: infant emotional dependence on caregiver not related to filling in psychological needs but to responsiveness so attachments formed with those who responded accurately to signals
           • Evaluation: good external validity, longitudinal study, good sample size, little behaviour from infants at early stage,conflicting evidence, multiple attachments = special significance, biased mothers, also depend on personality and temperament.

2. Grossman

   • longitudinal study on both parents' behaviour and its relationship to quality of attachment.
     • mothers and fathers quality not related
       • in adolescence: father less important
         • father: play and stimulation
           • Mothers: more nurturing

3. Geiger

   • play interactions with father more exciting than mothers, mothers more affectionate
     • playmates > caregivers
       • Lamb: children prefer interacting with fathers when positive

4. Hrdy

   • fathers less able to detect low levels of distress
     • fathers who are main caregivers quickly develop sensitivity

5. Belsky

   • high levels of marital intimacy related to secure fathet/infant attachments

6. Brown et al

   • high levels of supportive coparenting related to secure attachments
     • between fathers not mothers, important for fathers

7. Evaluation/application

   • fathers/attachment research confusing- only recent
     • father role is secondary traditionally
       • Mothers instinct
         • same sex families, no difference
           • fathers not important?
       • parents encouraged to co parent
       • secure attachment with father- better with peers
         • fathers help reduce mothers' stress, self esteem, time away from childcare
         • equally sensitive

8. Pleck- quality > time with father

   • Lamb- fathers style of parenting
     • interaction, accessibility, responsibility
       • Men staying home to look after children tripled in last 15 years

9. Factors involving paternal involvement

   • Cultural factors - men considered breadwinners, involved in play, instruction and guidance
     • Economic factors- S. Africa men work hundreds of miles away, long hours but increase in fem. labour force
       • Social policies - paternal leave
         • Biological factors- women adapted to feed and nurture, produce oestrogen
           • Child- Freeman found male children prefer father as attachment and attached till late childhood/early adolescence
             • Temperament- Manlove found fathers less likely to be involved if child has difficult temperament
               • Research with father inconsistent, secondary role has ethical issues, socially sensitive