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Stages of Attachment - Coggle Diagram
Stages of Attachment
Schaffer and Emerson
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Method: Sample of 60 babies (31 male and 29 female) from working class families based in Glasgow. The babies and mothers were visited at home every month for the first year and again at 18 months. The mothers were asked questions about their babies reactions when they were separated - stranger anxiety
Findings: By 6-8 months babies started to show separation anxiety from their attachment showing that an attachment had been formed. 65% with mother; 3% with father; 27% joint. By 18 months, around 87% had at least 2 attachments, whereas 31% were attached to 5 or more people.
Conclusion: Attachment develop in a number of different stages and multiple attachments seem to be the rule rather than the exception. the mother is not always the main attachment figure. Attachments are most likely to be formed with those who displayed sensitivity and responsiveness rather than those who spent most of the time with the child.
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Evaluation
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(-) Low Population Validity: Working class families from Glasgow with stay at home parents - cannot generalise to other people
(-) Self-report data: socially desirable answers e.g., attaching with father instead, did not adhere to infants protests
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Stages
Stage 1 - Asocial - First few weeks: Babies are happier in the presence of other humans. Their behaviour towards human and non-human objects are very similar
Stage 2 - Indiscriminate Attachment - 2-7m: Show a preference for humans and prefer familiar people - beginning of attachment formation. Accept attention and affection from all adults equally
Stage 3 - Specific Attachment - 7m onwards: Separation anxiety and stranger anxiety begin to occur. Will have formed a specific attachment mainly based on reciprocity.
Stage 4 - Multiple Attachments 8-12m: Babies beginning to form multiple attachments - secondary attachments
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