attachment - caregiver-infant interactions

Question 1

Outline interactional synchrony

Answer 1

Infant and caregiver become synchronised in their interactions e.g. in terms of facial expressions and body movements. Children can synchronise movements with sound of adults’ voice.
e.g. infant and caregiver smile at the same time.

Found to lead to better communication between parent and child when child is older.

Question 2

What is an attachment?

Answer 2

A deep, enduring, reciprocal emotional bond between two individuals, usually an infant and a caregiver

Question 3

Outline reciprocity

Answer 3

Reciprocity is a two-way, mutual interaction. Infant and caregiver are both contributors in interaction and are responding to each other.
e.g. infant smiles, caregiver responds with a smile.

This reinforces the attachment bond.

Question 4

Evaluate research into caregiver-infant interactions - socially sensitive

Answer 4

A weakness of research into caregiver-infant interactions is that it is socially sensitive.
There are implications for working mothers if it is found to be extremely important for them to be present and interacting with infant.

Question 5

Outline Isabella et al’s study into interaction synchrony

Answer 5

Assessed 30 mothers and infants for degree of synchrony, then assessed quality of their attachment.

Found that higher degree of synchrony associated with quality of attachment.

Question 6

Outline research into caregiver-infant interactions - inferences

Answer 6

Babies cannot communicate so inferences must be drawn - we are assuming babies’ actions have meaning, when they may just be unconsciously imitating caregiver - just because interactions seem to be reciprocal, doesn’t mean the child understands the purpose - unscientific.

Question 7

Outline research into caregiver-infant interactions - well-controlled

Answer 7

Observations of interactions are generally well-controlled, allowing researchers to study behaviour in a systematic way. This enhances the validity of the studies and the conclusions drawn from them.

Question 8

What is meant by sensitive responsiveness?

Answer 8

Adult pays careful attention to infant’s communications and responds in an appropriate manner e.g. providing milk/changing.

Question 9

What is caregiverese?

Answer 9

Singsong voice when talking to a baby

Question 10

Outline research into caregiverese

Answer 10

A study showed that the tendency to produce a special, high pitched baby talk is common across American, Chinese and German mothers.
Suggests that aspects of caregiver-infant interactions in developing infant attachments are innate behaviours.