Caregiver-infant Interactions In Humans

Question 1

What is reciprocity and an example of it

Answer 1

• A two way process mutual interaction, baby and mother both actively contribute, responding to each others actions.
• Mother laughs, baby laughs back.

Question 2

What is international synchrony and an example

Answer 2

• Simultaneous interaction, mother and baby mirror each others behaviour.
• Both smiling at the same time.

Question 3

Meltzoff and Moore- Study

Answer 3

• 40 babies younger than 3 days.
• Controls- Sat on mothers lap, controlled when baby last fed, dummy in mouth.
• Stranger models 3 facial expressions (tongue protrusion, opening mouth, termination of mouth).
• Slow motion camera recorded enables accuracy of expression mirrored.
  Results
• 16/40 frequently mirroring behaviour.
• 1/40 didn’t mirror.

Question 4

Caregiver infant interactions in humans evaluation- Scientific controlled procedure (support)

Answer 4

• A scientific controlled process.
• Ev- Used a slow motion camera, dummy in mouth, infant on mothers lap and same facial expressions shown.
• Ex- Ensures accuracy of babies facial expressions e.g. dummy in mouth eliminates unwanted expressions. Therefore, certain babies were mirroring strangers facial expressions.
• However, lacks ecological validity, set in an unfamiliar environment, may not act that way in own homes, in a real life setting. Therefore, in real life interaction all synchrony not shown when forming attachment

Question 5

Caregiver-infant interactions in humans evaluation- Unscientific as making inferences (criticism)

Answer 5

• Unscientific as making inferences.
• Ev- Can’t ask infants why they are behaving as they are. Therefore, making an inference that the mirroring of the facial expression is related to attachment.
• Ex- It is unclear whether the behaviour observed is merely imitation of adult signals in order to learn motor movement and develop facial expressions for communication or whether it is specific formation of attachment behaviour. Particularly as a stranger was mirroring.
• However, many studies have observed interactions between mothers and infants and found the same pattern of interaction.

Question 6

Caregiver-infant interactions in humans evaluation- Culture bias (criticism)

Answer 6

• Culture bias.
• Ev- Kenyan mothers have little physical interactions or physical contact with infants; however, the infants go on to have secure attachments.
• Ex- Therefore, interactional synchrony is not shown universally across the world. This implies that interactional synchrony is not a necessary caregiver-infant interaction to form secure attachments.
• On the other hand, the study is only comparing to one study in Kenya. It may be possible that interactional synchrony is demonstrated across most other cultures.

Question 7

Schaffer and Emerson- Study

Answer 7

• 60 infants from Glasgow. Visited monthly for the first year and again at 18 months. Collected data on separation/stranger anxiety.
  Results
• 65% of the main attachment was with the mother.
• 3% of the main attachment was with the father.

Question 8

The four stages of attachment

Answer 8

• Asocial- 0-6weeks- Can’t recognise the difference between objects and faces.
• Indiscriminate- 6weeks-6months- Prefer familiar faces.
• Specific- 7months onward- Form primary attachment.
• Multiple- 10/11months- Can develop secondary attachments.

Question 9

Schaffer and Emerson evaluation- Highly scientific and controlled (support)

Answer 9

• Highly scientific and controlled.
• Ev- Controlled observation, clear behavioural categories. Structured interview used and the same procedure to test separation/stranger anxiety. Triangulation of methods to reduce social desirability.
• Ex- Therefore, develop attachment behaviour as infants age. Implies attachment is biologically innate.
• However, there is a large sample bias- only used Glasgow babies.

Question 10

Schaffer and Emerson evaluation- Large sample bias (criticism)

Answer 10

• On the other hand, there is a large sample bias.
• Ev- Schaffer and Emerson used middle class infants from Glasgow.
• Ex- Therefore, the behaviours indicative of developing attachment may just be particularly to parents from middle class, Scottish background. Therefore, not possible to extrapolate to different collectivist cultures or to other classes of parents.
• However, there is ethical issues.

Question 11

Schaffer and Emerson evaluation- Ethical issues (criticism)

Answer 11

• However, there are ethical issues.
• Ev- The infants were put under mild stress during the observations and infants were unable to directly give informed consent.
• Ex- This means that the infants may have been affected by the stress within the study, affecting their future development. Secondly, they may regret taking part in the study, once an adult.
• However, there was parental consent and the parents had a right to withdraw their children, if they felt the stress was too high. But the stress was only mild.

Question 12

For fathers role in attachment

Answer 12

• Research shows that the father in a single parent family adopts traditional maternal role.
• Grossman- Father fulfils a different role from mother (play vs emotional support)- Important to developing child’s confidence.
• Schaffer and Emerson- 75% of infants studied formed attachment with father at 18 months.

Question 13

Against fathers having a role in attachment

Answer 13

• Research shows that the role of the father may differ depending on the gender of the child.
• Research suggests that the quality of attachment with the father may be less influential in adolescence than the mother.
• Schaffer and Emerson- 65% of main attachment was with mother, 3% was father.

Question 14

Implications for the economy- the role of the father

Answer 14

• Change laws on paternity leave.
• Gender pay gap.