Caregiver-Infant Interaction

Question 1

What is Attachment?

Answer 1

Attachment is a strong emotional connection between two individuals

Question 2

What is Psychological development and why is attachment important for it?

Answer 2

• This happens when children form relationships, interact with others and learn to manage feelings.
• Attachment is key as it is a major social milestone of infancy.

Question 3

Why do babies attach to their caregivers?

Answer 3

• Infants are physically helpless.
• Short time: need adults for food and protection.
• Long term: form healthy emotional connections.

Question 4

What are the 3 types of ways babies interact with their caregiver?

Answer 4

Intersectional synchrony - Infant moves in sync with caregiver.
Reciprocity - interactions elicits a response, turn taking.
Mimicking - Infant imitates facial expressions of caregiver.

Question 5

Research on reciprocity. Strength/Weaknesses .

Answer 5

• study mothers communicating with their infant asked to suddenly freeze.
• Found infants cried and flailed around to get attention.
• Showed babies need to communicate with care giver.
• Babies not aware of study, no demand characteristics.
• Can’t know Babies true thoughts, can’t ask them.

Question 6

Research on interactions synchrony. Strengths/Weaknesses.

Answer 6

• Meltzoff and Moore, observation independent observers looked at interaction between infants as young as 3 days old.
• Found association between expression of adult and actions of babies.
• Babies unaware of study, no demand characteristics.
• Can’t know Babies true thoughts, can’t ask them.