care giver and infant interactions

Question 1

define attachment

Answer 1

an attachment is a two-way emotional bond between two individuals,where each individual sees the other as essential for their own emotion security.It endures over time and serves to protect the infant.The infant seeks closeness + feels more secure in the presence of the attachment figure.

Question 2

reciprocity

Answer 2

-A descriptipn of an interaction
-A mother-infant interaction is reciprocal as both mother and the infant take turns responding to each others signals and elicts a response from the other
-This sensitivity lays the foundation for attachment.
Research shows that mother tend to pick up on babies alertness to signals two-thirds of the time
-From three months,this interaction is more freunqent and invloves close attention to verbal signals and facial expressions
-Brazleton described this interaction as a dance as it is just like a couples dance where each partner responds to each other’s moves

Question 3

Interactional synchrony

Answer 3

the temporal co-ordination of micro-level social behaviour.It takes place when the mother and infant interact in such a way that their actions and emotions mirror each other.

Question 4

meltzoff and moore-oberservtion on interational synchrony

Answer 4

observed the beginnings of interactional synchrony in infants as young as two weeks old.An adult displayed one of three facial expressions or one of three distinctive gestures.The child’s response was filmed and identified by observers.An association was found between the expression or the gesture the adult had displayed and the actions of the babies.

Question 5

Isabella et al -

Answer 5

observed 30 mothers and infants together and assessed the degree of synchrony. The researchers also assessed the quality of mother and infant attachment.They found that high levels of synchrony were associated with better quality mother infant attachment .This shows the importance interactional synchrony has in the development of mother-infant attachment.

Question 6

strength : the research supporting the ideas about caregiver-infant interactions

Answer 6

observations of mother-infant interactions are generally well-controlled procedures,with both the mother and infant being filmed,often from multiple angles.The angles often include those that mean that the researcher analysing the video footage cannot see what the other person in the video is doing.Additionally,babies are not aware that they are being filmed.This reduces the likelihood of demand characteristics and social desirability bias

Question 7

analysis of recording the interactions

Answer 7

recording the interactions ensures that fine details can be recorded and later analysed.As angles can be used where the caregiver cant be seen,the reduces the likelihood of researcher bias.together this ensures that the researcher has good internal validity and so we can make valid conclusions about the importance of caregiver-interactions.It also means that the research can be replicated to check reliability of the results

Question 8

counterargument for the research supporting reciprocity and interactional synchrony

Answer 8

it is difficult to study infants behaviour because their mouths are are in fairly constant motion.The expressions being tested in research (e.g:tongue sticking out,yawning,smiling) occur frequently.This makes it difficult to distinguish between general activity and specific imitated behaviours.This means we cannot be certain that the interactions are deliberate and have a special meaning.

Question 9

weakness of the research supporting the idea about caregiver-infant interactions

Answer 9

Feldman points out that synchrony and reciprocity simply describe behaviours that occur at the same time.They are robust phenomena that can be reliably observed,but this may not be particularly useful as it doesn’t tell us the purpose of their actions. Therefore we cannot understand why infants reciprocate and imitate their caregivers so we cant be certain that they have a special meaning.

Question 10

weakness of the research supporting ideas

Answer 10

many studies involving observation of the interactions between mothers and infants have shown the same patterns of interaction(reciprocity and interactional synchrony).However what is being observed is merely hand movements or changes in expression.Therefore it is extremely difficult to know what is talking place from the infant’s perspective.Other researchers have suggest that infants may instead be showing pseudo-imitation.This is the idea that the infant isn’t truly imitating the behaviour of the caregiver.Instead,they are repeating a behaviour that has been rewarded (smiling from caregiver)

Question 11

counterargument to weakness of the research supporting the ideas about caregiver-infant interactions

Answer 11

there is evidence that reciprocity and interactional synchrony are helpful in the development of mother-infant attachment,as well as stress responses,empathy,language and moral development.Therefore,it seems that they may have a special meaning.

Question 12

proximity

Answer 12

people try to stay physically close to those they are attached with

Question 13

separation distress

Answer 13

people are distressed when an attachment figure leaves their presence

Question 14

secure base behaviour

Answer 14

even when we are independent of our attachment figure we tend to make regular contact with them.infants display this behaviour when they regularly return to their attachment figure while playing.

Question 15

Multiple attachments

Answer 15

attachments to more than one person.most babies develop multiple attachments once they have formed one true attachment to a main carer.

Question 16

stages of attachment

Answer 16

stage 1:asocial stage
stage 2:indiscriminate attachment
stage 3:specific attachment
stage 4:multiple attachments