Caregiver-infant Interaction Flashcards
What is an attachment
A close two-way emotional based bond between two individuals in which each individual sees the other as essential for their own emotional security
Define proximity in attachment
people try to be physically close to those to whom they’re attached to
Define stranger anxiety
Feeling anxious when a stranger appears in relation to your current attachment
Define separation anxiety
Show distress when separated from their attachment figure
Define interactional synchrony
Adults an babies respond in time to sustain communication
Example
Clapping at the same time
Define reciprocity
Interaction between adult and baby as a two way process responding to others signals
Example
You smile at baby, baby smiles back
Define imitation
Infant mimics the adults behaviour
Define sensitive responsiveness
Adult attends sensitively to infant communication
Who investigated interactional synchrony between caregivers and infants
Meltzoff and Moore (1977)
How old were infants in meltzoff and moores research
12-27 days old
What are the 3 gestures that meltzoff and Moore tried to get infants to imitate
Tounge protrusion
Lip protrusion
Mouth opening
True or False
Did meltzoff and Moore use independent observers
TRUE
They used independent observers (not the original researchers)
What does the independent observers in meltzoff and moores study mean there’s no effect of what
No investigator effects
What were the results of the meltzoff and moores study
Infants as young as 12 days old could imitate both facial and manual gestures
What was the conclusion of meltzoff and moores study (1977)
The ability to imitate is an important building block for later development therefore must be innate
A strength of caregiver interactions
P: a strength of caregiver interaction is that there is research to support its existence from metzoff and Moore
E: meltzoff and Moore showed evidence of interactional synchrony in infants as young as 12 days old as these infants were seen to imitate facial gestures such as mouth opening, tounge and lip protrusion
E: this suggests that interaction synchrony is present from a young age and is likely to be an innate behaviour, with the purpose of supporting an attachment between infant and caregiver.
L: this therefore supports the validity of interactional synchrony being an element of caregiver infant interaction
A weakness care giver interaction
P:A limitation of caregiver interaction is the practical effects of Moore and meltzoffs research.
E:For example the research’s practical issues when investigating infants, ages 12-27 days old, is that they are going to cry, need feeding and also sleep which can interrupt/ limit research.
L: This will lead to difficulties conducting research especially over long periods of time.
