Schaffer and Emerson, 1964

Flowchart nodes

• Aim: To investigate the formation of early attachments (in particular, the age they were formed).

• They used a sample of 60 babies from Glasgow, with the majority being from working-class families

• This was a longitudinal study where the babies and mothers were being studied every month for the first year and then again at 18 months.

• ​​​​​​They  assessed separation anxiety/protest; through infant being left alone in a room, left in the pram outside the shops, left in the cot at night etc.

• They used observations and interviews with the mothers.

• Also assessed stranger anxiety with the researcher starting home visits by approaching the infant, to see if they got distressed.

• Found that between 25-32 weeks, about 50% of babies shoed separation anxiety towards their caregiver (usually the mother).

• Attachment tended to be to the caregiver who was most interactive and sensitive to the infants' signals and facial expression (reciprocity).

• By 40 weeks, 80% of babies had a specific attachment (to the primary caregiver) and almost 30% displayed multiple attachments.

• This suggests that there is a pattern of attachment common to all infants which is biologically controlled.

• Furthermore, attachments are more easily made with those who are sensitive, for example recognising and responding appropriately to an infant's needs, rather than those spending the most time with a child. 

• Evaluation

• Good external validity: Observations were in participants' natural environment.

• Limited sample characteristics: All families were from the same area over 50 years ago, so may lack generalisability. 

• Longitudinal design: Same participants were observed at each age, eliminating individual differences as a confound.

• Schaffer and Emerson, 1964