Attachment

Question 1

Caregiver-infant interactions Key points

Answer 1

Reciprocity: Caregiver–infant interaction is reciprocal, i.e. each person’s interactions affect the other.

Alert phases: From birth babies signal when they are ready to interact (e.g. eye contact).

Active not passive: Babies don’t just respond, they initiate interaction (turn-taking ‘dance’).

Interactional synchrony: Caregiver and infant signals synchronise, i.e. they occur together (‘mirroring’).

Meltzoff and Moore: Babies mirror adults’ expressions and gestures from two weeks old.

Isabella et al.: Synchrony linked to better quality mother–baby attachment.