Stages of Attachment – Schaffer
Various theorists have identified stages in the development of attachments, but we are
concerned with those that emerged from a study by Schaffer and Emerson carried out in
the 1960s in Glasgow, and the stages they identified.
Rudolf Schaffer and Peggy Emerson (1964) studied the attachment behaviours of babies.
Their findings led them to develop an account of how attachment behaviours change as a
baby gets older. They proposed that there were four identifiable stages of attachment, a
sequence which is observed in all babies.
Stage Age at which Characteristics of this stage
this stage
occurs
Stage 1: Birth to 2 - In the first 6 weeks, infants are just as happy
Pre- months to look at inanimate objects (e.g. toys) as they
attachment/as are a human face – no preference.
ocial stage - From 6 weeks, babies develop an attraction to
other human beings / faces rather than
physical aspects of the environment
- This can be established through behaviour like
gurgling, nestling, social smile -> directed to
anyone
- Reciprocity and interactional synchrony
play a role in establishing relationships
Stage 2: 2 – 7 months - After 2 months, infants recognise familiar and
Indiscriminate unfamiliar people, smiling more at known
(not people (social smile is gone)
discriminating) - However, they are not discriminating and will
attachment allow unfamiliar people/strangers to handle
stage them and provide care without becoming
noticeably distressed
- Lasts until 7 months
Stage 3: 7 – 9 months - From 7 months, most babies display
Discriminate attachment towards 1 specific person
(specific) (primary attachment figure).
attachment -> not necessarily the person the child spends
stage most time with but the one who offers the
most interaction and responds to the baby’s
‘signals’ with the most skill. This is the mother
in 65% of cases.
- Signs include stranger anxiety
(possibly/some infants) and separation
anxiety (almost certainly/all infants)
, - Occurs when an infant can tell consistently
the difference between its mother and other
people and developed object permanence
(the awareness that things (the mother)
continue to exist even when they cannot be
seen)
Stage 4: 9 months - Strong additional ties are formed with other
Multiple onwards major caregivers (father, grandparents,
attachments siblings) and non-caregivers (other children).
stage - Fear of strangers typically weakens
- Strongest attachment continues to be the
mother figure
-> an invariable sequence (i.e. sequentially) - reflects child’s cognitive development
Schaffer and Emerson’s research
Schaffer and Emerson (1964) based their stage theory on an observational study of the
formation of early infant-adult attachments.
Procedure:
The study involved 60 babies – 31 male, 29 female. All were from Glasgow and the
majority were from skilled working-class families. Researchers visited babies and
mothers in their own homes every month for the first year and again at 18 months.
Attachment was measured in 2 ways:
- Separation protest – The researchers asked the mothers questions about the kind
of protest their babies showed in seven everyday separations, e.g. adult leaving the
room, left in the cot at night etc. (a measure of separation anxiety) - researchers
wanted to know whose absence produces that response
- Stranger anxiety – the researchers also assessed the babies’ anxiety response to
unfamiliar people e.g. the researcher started each home visit by approaching the
infant to see if this distressed the child.
Findings:
Schaffer and Emerson identified 4 distinct stages in the development of infant attachment
behaviour. These make up their stage theory.
1. Most infants started to show separation protest when parted from their
attachment figure at between 6-8 months, with stranger anxiety being shown
around one month later.
2. Strongly attached infants had mothers who responded to their needs quickly
and gave more opportunities for interaction. Weakly attached infants had
Various theorists have identified stages in the development of attachments, but we are
concerned with those that emerged from a study by Schaffer and Emerson carried out in
the 1960s in Glasgow, and the stages they identified.
Rudolf Schaffer and Peggy Emerson (1964) studied the attachment behaviours of babies.
Their findings led them to develop an account of how attachment behaviours change as a
baby gets older. They proposed that there were four identifiable stages of attachment, a
sequence which is observed in all babies.
Stage Age at which Characteristics of this stage
this stage
occurs
Stage 1: Birth to 2 - In the first 6 weeks, infants are just as happy
Pre- months to look at inanimate objects (e.g. toys) as they
attachment/as are a human face – no preference.
ocial stage - From 6 weeks, babies develop an attraction to
other human beings / faces rather than
physical aspects of the environment
- This can be established through behaviour like
gurgling, nestling, social smile -> directed to
anyone
- Reciprocity and interactional synchrony
play a role in establishing relationships
Stage 2: 2 – 7 months - After 2 months, infants recognise familiar and
Indiscriminate unfamiliar people, smiling more at known
(not people (social smile is gone)
discriminating) - However, they are not discriminating and will
attachment allow unfamiliar people/strangers to handle
stage them and provide care without becoming
noticeably distressed
- Lasts until 7 months
Stage 3: 7 – 9 months - From 7 months, most babies display
Discriminate attachment towards 1 specific person
(specific) (primary attachment figure).
attachment -> not necessarily the person the child spends
stage most time with but the one who offers the
most interaction and responds to the baby’s
‘signals’ with the most skill. This is the mother
in 65% of cases.
- Signs include stranger anxiety
(possibly/some infants) and separation
anxiety (almost certainly/all infants)
, - Occurs when an infant can tell consistently
the difference between its mother and other
people and developed object permanence
(the awareness that things (the mother)
continue to exist even when they cannot be
seen)
Stage 4: 9 months - Strong additional ties are formed with other
Multiple onwards major caregivers (father, grandparents,
attachments siblings) and non-caregivers (other children).
stage - Fear of strangers typically weakens
- Strongest attachment continues to be the
mother figure
-> an invariable sequence (i.e. sequentially) - reflects child’s cognitive development
Schaffer and Emerson’s research
Schaffer and Emerson (1964) based their stage theory on an observational study of the
formation of early infant-adult attachments.
Procedure:
The study involved 60 babies – 31 male, 29 female. All were from Glasgow and the
majority were from skilled working-class families. Researchers visited babies and
mothers in their own homes every month for the first year and again at 18 months.
Attachment was measured in 2 ways:
- Separation protest – The researchers asked the mothers questions about the kind
of protest their babies showed in seven everyday separations, e.g. adult leaving the
room, left in the cot at night etc. (a measure of separation anxiety) - researchers
wanted to know whose absence produces that response
- Stranger anxiety – the researchers also assessed the babies’ anxiety response to
unfamiliar people e.g. the researcher started each home visit by approaching the
infant to see if this distressed the child.
Findings:
Schaffer and Emerson identified 4 distinct stages in the development of infant attachment
behaviour. These make up their stage theory.
1. Most infants started to show separation protest when parted from their
attachment figure at between 6-8 months, with stranger anxiety being shown
around one month later.
2. Strongly attached infants had mothers who responded to their needs quickly
and gave more opportunities for interaction. Weakly attached infants had
