Attachment - Key Terms Flashcards
(18 cards)
What is reciprocity?
Refers to the given take dynamic interactions between infants and caregiver
What is interactional synchrony (IS)?
The coordinated rhythmic exchange between caregiver and infant where behaviors and emotions are matched
Results of having a high sensitive responsiveness
What is sensitive responsiveness?
A caregivers ability to perceive interpret and appropriately respond to an infant signals emotions and needs
Key aspects of secure attachment
Caregiver who is sensitive is attuned
What is imitation?
Infant mimicking the caregivers facial expressions gestures or sounds
What is motherese?
Infant directed speech
High-pitched slow exaggerated speech
What is an alert phase?
Babies signal that they are ready for interaction
E.G. eye contact
Feldman and Eidelman (2007)
Mothers pick up on alert phases 2/3 of the time
Finegood et al (1975)
Sensitive responsiveness is affected by mother’s skills and external factors E.G. stress
How did Brazelton et al (1975) describe interactions between caregivers and child
As a dance
Meltzoff and moore (1977)
Tested babies’ IS using three different facial expressions
Found interactional synchrony can be seen at 2 weeks old
(P<0.05)
What is an attachment?
A close two-way bond between two individuals in which they believe the other is essential for their own emotional security
Condon and Sander (1974)
Found babies actions coordinated with adult speaking
Isobella et al (1989)
Observe 30 mothers and babies
Assessed degrees of synchrony and degree of attachment
High levels of synchrony were associated with better quality mother-baby attachment
Le Vine et al (1994)
Found Kenyan mothers have little physical contacts or interaction with infants or have a high proportion of secure attachments
Koephe et al (1983)
Attempted to replicate Meltzoff and moore (1977) but couldn’t produce the same results
Tronick’s still face paradigm
Child is happy with mother when interacting
Mother puts on a ‘still face’ (no expressions, no movement, no talking)
Child tries its best to get a response (squealing, pointing, crying)
Mother returns to normal and child is content again
Children need interactions from their mothers
Children can overcome lack of interaction
Strengths (of introduction to attachment)
Experiments done in a control condition increase internal validity and reliability
Observations are recorded inter-rater reliability
Babies are unaware natural behaviour
Practical application: crotwell et al (2013) find 10 minutes sessions in parent-child interaction therapy improved IS
Weaknesses (of introduction to attachment)
Relies on inference
Feldman (2012) suggests research gives us names for behaviors but doesn’t give relevance of them
Ethics: impacts working parents
Some studies could not replicate findings (Koepke)
Possibility of observer bias
