Caregiver-infant Interactions

Question 1

What is attachment

Answer 1

It’s an emotional tie or bond between two people shown in their behaviour. It’s a two way (reciprocal) process IT DEVELOPS OVER TIME

Question 2

What is reciprocity

Answer 2

Mother and baby respond to each others signals and elicit a response from the each other. Process of turn taking

Question 3

What is interactional synchrony

Answer 3

Mirrored actions ie smiling at the same time reflect actions or emotions in a coordinated way

Question 4

What is interactional synchrony

Answer 4

Conversation is synchronised. Mother and child reflect actions or emotions in a coordinated way

Question 5

How do you recognise an attachment

Answer 5

Proximity
Separation distress
Secure-Base behaviour

Question 6

Research into Reciprocity

Answer 6

Bazleton (1975)- Three months and up, interaction increases in frequency.
Describes reciprocity as a dance responding to each others moves

Question 7

Research into interactional synchrony

Answer 7

Meltzoff and Moore (1977) as young as two weeks old can interact in a synchronised way. Believe me to be important for attachments.

Isabella (1989) high levels of synchrony were associated with better quality attachments

Question 8

Meltzoff and Moores study (1977)

Answer 8

Observed interactional synchrony in children as young as two weeks old.
An adult model displaced three facial expressions and gestures, the child’s response was filmed and identified by independent observers
Results higher levels of synchrony= better quality of mother-infant interactions

Question 9

Isabella at al (1989)

Answer 9

Investigated importance of interactional synchrony in developmental of mother infant interactions
Observed 30 Moms and infants together and assessed degree of synchrony and quality of attachment.
Higher levels of synchrony= better quality of attachment and emotional intensity of relationship was higher

Question 10

Advantages of care-giver interactions

Answer 10

*Controlled observations= rich in detail
I.e procedures were filmed= fine details were captured this increases credibility

Question 11

Disadvantages of caregiver-infant interactions

Answer 11

— subjective hard to understand what is happening when infants typically communicate non-verbally= reduces validity of research.

— socially sensitive. I.e isabella et al (1989) suggests women should work to develop an attachment with their infant

— doesn’t tell us the purpose of interactional synchrony or reciprocity. For example Feldman (2012) points out that Synchrony and reciprocity simply describe behaviour that occurs but don’t tell us why they happen. This is a weakness as it reduces validity of research*** HOWEVER, some evidence states interactional synchrony develops attachments as well as empathy and language