Infant-Caregiver Interactions

Question 1

Explain Secure Base Behaviour

Answer 1

secure base = primary caregiver
- contact seeking even when the infant/child is more independent
- child will not stray too far from the secure base

Question 2

What is Attachment?

Answer 2

an affectionate bond between two people that endures over time

Question 3

How do we know an attachment has formed?

Answer 3

• desire to keep proximity to the primary caregiver
• distress at separation
• PC gives infant a sense of security

Question 4

What is Interactional Synchrony?

Answer 4

Two people are synchronised when they can carry out the same action simultaneously
- carer and infant’s actions and emotions ‘mirror’ each other

Question 5

What is Reciprocity?

Answer 5

Responding to the action of one with a similar action
- both carer and infant initiate interactions
- regularity of the interactions helps them anticipate how they will respond to specific behaviours

Question 6

What did Meltzoff and Moore investigate?

Answer 6

1977
The beginnings of interactional synchrony in babies from 2 weeks old

Question 7

What was Meltzoff and Moore’s procedure?

Answer 7

An adult displayed one of three facial expressions/distinctive gestures and the babies response was filmed and labelled by independent observers

Question 8

What were Meltzoff and Moore’s findings?

Answer 8

Babies’ expression and gesture were more likely to mirror those of the adults they were familiar with