Caregiver-Infant interactions

Question 1

Reciprocity

Answer 1

Turn taking
A caregiver and infant respond to each others signals and elicits a response from the other

Question 2

Alert phases

Answer 2

Babies have periodic alert phases in which they signal that they are ready for an interaction (e.g eye-contact)
- Research has found mothers pick up on and respond to their babies alertness around 2/3 of the time
- From around 3 months this interaction occurs more frequently

Question 3

Active involvement

Answer 3

Both caregivers and infants can initiate interactions and they appear to take turns doing so

Question 4

Interactional synchrony

Answer 4

Caregiver and baby reflect both the actions and emotions of the other and do this in a co-ordinated (synchronised) way

Question 5

Synchrony begins

Answer 5

Meltzoff and Moore - observed IS in babies as young as 2 weeks old
- Adult displayed 1 of 3 facial expressions or 1 of 3 gestures
- babies response was filmed and labelled by observers
- B’s expression and gestures were likely to mirror adults
- there was significant association

Question 6

Importance for attachment

Answer 6

Studies observed 30 mothers and babies together
- assessed the degree of synchrony as well as the quality of attachment
- found that high levels of synchrony were associated with better quality attachment

Question 7

C & I interactions evaluation - STRENGTH

Answer 7

Filmed observations - Caregiver-infant interactions are usually filmed in a lab
- means that variables that might distract the baby can be controlled
- also using recordings can be analysed later so it is unlikely researchers will miss key behaviours
- filmed observations can establish inter-rater reliability and validity

Question 8

C & I interactions evaluation - LIMITATION

Answer 8

Difficulty observing babies - hard to interpret babies behaviour
- the movements being observed are just small hand movements or subtle changes in expression
- it’s difficult to be sure whether a baby is smiling or just passing wind
- as well as we cannot know whether a movement such as a hand twitch is random or triggered by something a caregiver has done

Question 9

C & I interactions - extra evaluation

Answer 9

Research into caregiver-infant interactions is socially sensitive
- it can be used to argue that when a mother returns to work too soon after having a baby this may risk damaging their baby’s development