caregiver-infant interaction ao1 Flashcards
Define attachment
Close emotional bond experienced between 2 people whereby they see eachother as essential for emotional security
It takes months to develop
What displayed behaviours can be recognised as attachment
Proximity
Separation distress
Secure - base behaviour
Define proximity
People try to stay physically close to those whom with which they are attached
Define separation distress
People distressed when attachment figure leaves their presence
Define secure - base behaviour
One can be independent of their attachment figure but still make regular contact
Eg : an infant who explores the environment but return to attachment figure for comfort
2 care giver - infant interactions in humans
Interactional synchrony
Reciprocity
Define reciprocity
This is a 2 way mutual process whereby the behaviour of one person elicits a response from the other. The people take turns
There’s an element of active involvement from both babies and carers babies not passive recipients
Define interactional synchrony
Mother and infant reflect both the actions and emotions of the other and do this in a synchronised coordinated way
Adults and babies respond in time to sustain communication
What phase do babies go through in reciprocity
Periodic “alert phases”
Explain babies periodic alert phases
Where babies signal they are ready for interaction
In terms of reciprocity who and when found out two things in terms of mother infant relationships
Feldman and Eidelman - 2007
Feldman 2007
What did Feldman and Eidelman - 2007 find
Mothers typically pick up on and respond to infant alertness around 2/3 of the time
What did Feldman 2007 find
From around 3 months this interaction becomes increasingly frequent involving close attention to eachothers verbal signals and facial expressions
Who described interaction between mother and infant as a dance
Brazelton et al 1975
Who and when studied/observed interactional synchrony
Meltzoff and Moore
1977
What did meltzoff and Moore do
Observed the beginnings of interactional synchrony in infants as young as 2 weeks
An adult displayed one of 3 gestures/facial expressions
Child’s response was filmed and identified by independent observers
What did meltzoff and Moore find
An association was found between gesture displayed by adults and that of babies actions
Often babies copied
Who and when studied interactional synchrony in mothers specifically
Isabella et al 1989
Whag did Isabella 1989 do
Observed 30 mothers and infant together , assessing degree of synchrony
Researchers also assessed the quality of mother to infant interactions
What did Isabella et al 1989 find
Founf that high levels of synchrony were associated with better quality of mother - infant attachment
