A staged emulsion polymer comprising: from about 50 to about 95, or from about 70 to about 93, or from about 80 to about 90 percent by weight of a first stage crosslinked polymer core which is prepared by polymerizing a first monomer mixture comprising: (a) from about 25 to about 60, or from about 30 to about 55, or from about 35 to about 50 weight percent of at least one C 1 -C 8 alkyl (meth)acrylate monomer; (b) from about 10 to about 30, or from about 12 to about 25, or from about 15 to about 20 weight percent of at least one ethylenically unsaturated C 3 -C 6 carboxylic acid monomer; (c) from about 10 to about 40, or from about 15 to about 35, or from about 18 to about 30 weight percent of at least one C 1 -C 5 hydroxyalkyl ester of (meth)acrylic acid monomer; (d) from about 1 to about 20, or from about 2 to about 10, or from about 3 to about 5 weight percent of at least one monomer selected from an associative monomer, a semi-hydrophobic monomer, and mixtures thereof; and (e) from about 0.05 to about 1.5, or from about 0.5 to about 1.25, or from about 0.7 to about 1, or from about 0.75 to about 0.9 weight percent of at least one crosslinker (per 100 parts by weight of the monomer mixture); and from about 5 to about 50, or from about 7 to about 30, or from about 10 to about 20 percent by weight of a second stage polymer shell which is prepared by polymerizing a second monomer mixture comprising: (a') from about 20 to about 60 or from about 25 to about 50, or from about 30 to about 45 weight percent of at least one C 1 -C 8 alkyl (meth)acrylate monomer; (b') from about 0 to about 40 or from about 15 to about 35, or from about 20 to about 30 weight percent of at least one ethylenically unsaturated C 3 -C 6 carboxylic acid monomer; (c') from about 0 to about 40 or from about 15 to about 35, or from about 20 to about 30 weight percent of at least one C 1 -C 5 hydroxyalkyl ester of (meth)acrylic acid; (d') from about 0 to about 10, or from about 0.1 to about 7, or from about 1 to about 5 weight percent of at least one monomer selected from an associative monomer, a semi-hydrophobic monomer, and mixtures thereof; and (e') from about 0 to about 0.3, or from about 0.01 to about 0.25, or from about 0.1 to about 0.2 parts by weight of at least one crosslinker per 100 parts by weight of the monomer mixture, subject to the proviso that when present said the at least one second stage crosslinker ranges from about greater than 0 percent to about 25 percent, or from about 0.01 to about 20 percent of the amount of crosslinker in said first monomer mixture. from about 50 to about 95, or from about 70 to about 93, or from about 80 to about 90 percent by weight of a first stage crosslinked polymer core which is prepared by polymerizing a first monomer mixture comprising: (a) from about 25 to about 60, or from about 30 to about 55, or from about 35 to about 50 weight percent of at least one C 1 -C 8 alkyl (meth)acrylate monomer; (b) from about 10 to about 30, or from about 12 to about 25, or from about 15 to about 20 weight percent of at least one ethylenically unsaturated C 3 -C 6 carboxylic acid monomer; (c) from about 10 to about 40, or from about 15 to about 35, or from about 18 to about 30 weight percent of at least one C 1 -C 5 hydroxyalkyl ester of (meth)acrylic acid monomer; (d) from about 1 to about 20, or from about 2 to about 10, or from about 3 to about 5 weight percent of at least one monomer selected from an associative monomer, a semi-hydrophobic monomer, and mixtures thereof; and (e) from about 0.05 to about 1.5, or from about 0.5 to about 1.25, or from about 0.7 to about 1, or from about 0.75 to about 0.9 weight percent of at least one crosslinker (per 100 parts by weight of the monomer mixture); and from about 5 to about 50, or from about 7 to about 30, or from about 10 to about 20 percent by weight of a second stage polymer shell which is prepared by polymerizing a second monomer mixture comprising: (a') from about 20 to about 60 or from about 25 to about 50, or from about 30 to about 45 weight percent of at least one C 1 -C 8 alkyl (meth)acrylate monomer; (b') from about 0 to about 40 or from about 15 to about 35, or from about 20 to about 30 weight percent of at least one ethylenically unsaturated C 3 -C 6 carboxylic acid monomer; (c') from about 0 to about 40 or from about 15 to about 35, or from about 20 to about 30 weight percent of at least one C 1 -C 5 hydroxyalkyl ester of (meth)acrylic acid; (d') from about 0 to about 10, or from about 0.1 to about 7, or from about 1 to about 5 weight percent of at least one monomer selected from an associative monomer, a semi-hydrophobic monomer, and mixtures thereof; and (e') from about 0 to about 0.3, or from about 0.01 to about 0.25, or from about 0.1 to about 0.2 parts by weight of at least one crosslinker per 100 parts by weight of the monomer mixture, subject to the proviso that when present said the at least one second stage crosslinker ranges from about greater than 0 percent to about 25 percent, or from about 0.01 to about 20 percent of the amount of crosslinker in said first monomer mixture.