Infant-Caregiver Interactions Flashcards
Why are Infant-Caregiver Interactions important in terms of attachment?
They facilitate and strengthen attachment, and are therefore associated with secure attachment.
What is the ‘Alert Phase’?
Periodic phases during which the infant signals that they’re ready for interaction (e.g. by making eye contact with the caregiver)
What is Reciprocity?
When the infant and caregiver take turns to respond to each other’s signals, paying close attention.
What is Interactional Synchrony?
When the infant and caregiver respond in time with each other’s signals to sustain communication, often by mirroring each other’s behaviour and emotions
Describe Isabella et al’s Study into Infant-Caregiver Interactions
- Studied 30+ mothers and babies
- Assessed their degree of interactional synchrony and their quality of attachment
- They found that the greater the level of interactional synchrony, the more securely attached the infant
Describe Condon & Sander’s findings regarding Interactional Synchrony
They found that babies as young as one day old synchronise their movements and move in time with the rhythm of speech of their caregivers
Describe Meltzoof & Moore’s Study into Infant-Caregiver Interactions
- Observed babies under 1 month old by filming their reaction to adults displaying 4 simple gestures (e.g. sticking out their tongue)
- The babies mirrored the adults behaviour more than predicted
What are two types of Infant-Caregiver Interactions?
- Reciprocity
- Interactional Synchrony
Why are studies investigating Infant-Caregiver Interactions typically high in internal validity and reliability?
They are typically filmed using micro-sequencing in a laboratory environment
What casts doubt on the validity of studies into Infant-Caregiver Interactions?
They rely heavily on inferences, as babies can’t directly communicate, meaning their behaviour has to be interpreted
Why are studies into Infant-Caregiver Interactions low in ecological validity?
They often take place in laboratory environments
Why can’t cause-and-effect be established in terms of the affect Infant-Caregiver Interactions have on later development?
As it is ethically impossible to manipulate the quality/quantity of infant-caregiver interactions
Why is research into Infant-Caregiver Interactions important?
It suggests a correlation between the frequency of infant-caregiver interactions and how securely attached a child is, which is beneficial for parents and institutions for ensuring that children develop a secure attachment style and a positive Internal Working Model
