Caregiver infant interactions (booklet 1)

Question 1

Define attachment

Answer 1

A close, emotional bond between two people characterised by mutual affection and a desire to maintain proximity
A two way process that endures over time
Leads to behaviours such as clinging and proximity seeking
Serves the function of protecting an infant

Question 2

Name 2 caregiver-infant interactions

Answer 2

Reciprocity
Interactional synchrony

Question 3

Define reciprocity

Answer 3

When behaviour is matched during an interaction
The infant responds to the caregiver
Develops at a very early age

Question 4

When does reciprocity develop and what does this suggest?

Answer 4

Infants as young as 2-3 weeks will attempt to imitate facial expressions and hand gestures- perhaps suggesting an innate ability

Question 5

Describe alert phases

Answer 5

Babies have alert phases where they signal (eg making eye contact) that they are ready for an interaction
Feldman and Eidelman (2007) showed mothers respond to a baby’s alertness around 2/3 of the time
Feldman (2007) found from around 3 months this interaction becomes increasingly frequent- mothers and babies pay close attention to each others verbal signals and facial expressions

Question 6

Reciprocity research evidence

Answer 6

Tronick et al (1975) ‘still face experiment’
Mother looks at baby with ‘still face’ - makes eye contact but no emotion
Found it caused acute stress in the infant
Supports idea reciprocity is innate
Infant is actively trying to attract carer’s attention eg smiling, pointing rather than showing a learned response

Question 7

Describe interactional synchrony

Answer 7

Mother and baby reflect the actions and emotions of the other in a co-ordinated/synchronised way
Infants move their bodies in tune with the caregiver’s signals
The child will simultaneously carry out the same act as the caregiver- the two are said to be in harmony/ in sync with each other
This interaction is to sustain communication between the two

Question 8

Interactional synchrony research evidence

Answer 8

Meltzoff and Moore (1977)
Observed beginnings of Interactional synchrony in babies as young as 2 weeks old
An adult displayed one of three distinct gestures or facial expressions
Baby’s response filmed and labelled by independent observers
Found the babies mirrored the adult’s expressions and gestures

Question 9

Condon and Sander (1974)

Answer 9

Research evidence for Interactional synchrony
Noticed infants seem to co-ordinate movements/gestures in time with adults speech
Reported when an adult is speaking the infant moves with the rhythm of the interaction

Question 10

Isabella et al (1989)

Answer 10

Research evidence for interactional synchrony
Observed 30 mothers and infants together and assessed the degree of synchrony
Found an association between secure attachment and more examples of Interactional synchrony

Question 11

Evaluate caregiver infant interactions - filmed observations

Answer 11

Usually filmed so in a laboratory
Can control extraneous variables eg distractions
Can be rewatched and analysed by multiple people- establishing inter rater reliability
Also babies don’t know they’re being observed so their behaviour won’t change in presence of a researcher
Data collected has good reliability and validity

Question 12

Evaluate caregiver infant interactions - difficulty observing babies

Answer 12

Hard to interpret babies behaviour
Lack of co ordination means they’re practically immobile
Movements being observed are so small they’re hard to interpret eg smiling or passing wind
Also unsure of intentions - is it on purpose?
Cannot be certain behaviours have any meaning

Question 13

Evaluate caregiver infant interactions- practical application

Answer 13

Has practical application
eg training into parenting skills
Crotwell et al (2013) found parent-child interaction therapy improved interactional synchrony in 20 low income mothers and their pre-school children
Research is valuable to our knowledge on attachment and improving quality of it

Question 14

Who found the stages of attachment and what are they called?

Answer 14

Schaffer and Emerson (1964)
Asocial phase
Indiscriminate attachment
Specific attachment
Multiple attachments

Question 15

First stage of attachment

Answer 15

Asocial phase
First few weeks
Observable behaviour towards humans and inanimate objects similar
Do show signs they prefer people
Show a preference for familiar people - more easily comforted by them
Some of the bonds form the basis of later attachment

Question 16

Second stage of attachment

Answer 16

Indiscriminate attachment
2-7 months
Display more obvious and observable social behaviour
Clear preference for humans rather than inanimate objects
Prefer familiar people but accept comfort from anyone
No separation/ stranger anxiety

Question 17

Third stage of attachment

Answer 17

Specific attachment
7 months onwards
Begin to develop specific attachments
Actively try to stay close to their primary attachment figure (PAF)
Become distressed when separated (separation anxiety)
Avoid unfamiliar people and protest if strangers try to handle them (stranger anxiety)

Question 18

Fourth stage of attachment

Answer 18

Multiple attachments
10 months onwards
Extends attachments towards people they regularly spend time with- secondary attachments
By one year most babies formed multiple attachments

Question 19

Describe what Schaffer and Emerson found by approx 9 months old

Answer 19

Most babies found an initial attachment to their mothers first

Question 20

Describe what Schaffer and Emerson found by 10 months

Answer 20

Many babies formed multiple attachments including mothers, fathers, grandparents, siblings etc

Question 21

Describe what Schaffer and Emerson found by 18 months

Answer 21

31% had 5 or more attachments
Mother was main attachment figure for around half of children and father for most of others
Multiple attachments varied in strength and importance to infant

Question 22

Evaluate Schaffer’s stages of attachment- problems studying asocial age

Answer 22

Describe first few weeks as asocial stage
Babies have poor co ordination and are pretty much immobile
Difficult to make judgements due to lack of observable behaviour
Evidence can’t be relied on

Question 23

Evaluate Schaffers stages of attachment - conflicting evidence on multiple attachments

Answer 23

Not entirely clear when children form multiple attachments
Some research indicates babies formed attachments to a single main caregiver before developing multiple attachments
On the other hand some believe babies formed multiple attachments from the beginning
These are called collectivist cultures

Question 24

Evaluate Schaffers stages of attachment- measuring multiple attachment

Answer 24

Problems measuring multiple attachments
Distress when leaving a room doesn’t indicate a true attachment figure
Bowlby (1969) suggests children have playmates that cause similar distressed behaviour at separation but doesn’t signify attachment
Problem with these stages- doesn’t distinguish between secondary attachment figures and playmates