Caregiver-Infant Interaction

Question 1

Define Reciprocity

Answer 1

When the behaviour of a caregiver is replicated by the child following their observation of the maternal/paternal figure. An example might be a child clapping after they observe their mother clapping.

Question 2

What is an issue with research into caregiver-infant interaction?

Answer 2

Observing children within a foreign laboratory environment may not elicit genuine responses to their caregiver and may result in false behaviours and emotions being expressed which don’t truly reflect how they feel. Such behaviours may be a response to a foreign setting rather than their interaction with the caregiver. Interpreting such data should therefore involve caution to reduce the chance of invalid results being used to make practical applications within society which have negative implications.

Question 3

Define Interactional Synchrony

Answer 3

This occurs when the caregiver and infant perform an identical behaviour at the same time; this might involve waving to each other or expressing physical gestures.

Question 4

What does Interactional Synchrony suggest about the caregiver and infant?

Answer 4

It suggests that they are in the process of building a strong attachment together because they’ve got the trust and knowledge to perform similar behaviours, possibly because their awareness of how each other function is quite high.

Question 5

What is an issue of studying Interactional Synchrony?

Answer 5

The simultaneous expression of behaviour may occur by accident or coincidence and not truly reflect the attachment status of mother and child which could lead researchers to generating false assumptions and conclusions about their relationship.