Attachment- Caregiver-infant interactions

Question 1

Alert phases

Answer 1

The time when newborn babies are awake and ready for interaction

Question 2

Elements of caregiver-infant interactions

Answer 2

Reciprocity
Interactional synchrony

Question 3

Reciprocity

Answer 3

Each partner responds to the other, reacting in turns, as in a conversation

Question 4

Interactional synchrony

Answer 4

Caregiver and infant mirror each other’s actions and emotions, at the same time (temporally coordinated)

Question 5

Temporal coordination

Answer 5

Caregiver and infant mirroring at the same time

Question 6

Meltzoff and Moore (1977)

Answer 6

P- Adult made 3 facial expressions and a gesture. Infants’ responses were observed (filmed) and measured (tongue protrusion and termination, and mouth opening and termination) by independent observers
F- Found a clear association and response between the adult model’s and the infants’ behaviours, with the infant (as young as 2 weeks) mirroring the adult. Level of agreement between observers was 0.92 - high inter observer reliability

Question 7

Strengths of Meltzoff and Moore (‘77)

Answer 7

Lab experiment- highly controlled and interactions were filmed so can be more objective

No demand characteristics as infants were too young (2 weeks)

High inter observer reliability- ensured independent observers all watched the same videos and the agreement was 0.92

Question 8

Weaknesses of Meltzoff and Moore (‘77)

Answer 8

Hard to investigate infant behaviour as they cannot explain motive behind their behaviour

Purpose of synchrony and reciprocity is not explored- research may have observed the behaviour but not why it occurs

Could be socially sensitive as it suggests that a child may be disadvantaged by particular ways of child rearing