Caregiver-infant interactions

Question 1

define reciprocity

Answer 1

A description of how two people interact. Mother-infant interaction is reciprocal in that both infant and mother respond to each other’s signals and each elicits a response from the other.

Question 2

what is an example of reciprocity

Answer 2

when baby points, mum looks

Question 3

give some research for reciprocity

Answer 3

Feldman and Eidelman (2007)
Found that from around 3 months interaction increases in frequency and involves close attention to each other’s verbal signs and facial expressions

Question 4

Define interactional synchrony

Answer 4

Mother and infant reflect both actions and emotions of the other and do this in a synchronised way

Question 5

Give an example of interactional synchrony

Answer 5

mum smiles, baby smiles

Question 6

Give some research for interactional synchrony

Answer 6

Meltzoff and Moore (1977)
Observed interactional synchrony in infants as young as 2 weeks. An adult displayed one of 3 different facial expressions or one of 3 distinctive gestures. The child’s response was filmed and identified by independent observers. An association was found between the expression or gesture the adult displayed and the action of the baby.

Question 7

Evaluate reciprocity and interactional synchrony

weakness

Answer 7

A weakness is it is hard to know what is happening when observing infants, what is being observed in gestures and changes in facial expressions, it is very difficult to ascertain what is taking place from the infants perception eg. are the infant’s imitation of the adults conscious or deliberate. This means that we cannot know for certain that behaviors seen have special meaning.

Question 8

Evaluate reciprocity and interactional synchrony

Strength method

Answer 8

A strength is that observations of mother-infant interactions are generally well-controlled procedures, with both mother and infant being filmed, often from multiple angles. This ensures that each detail of their behaviour is recorded so can be analysed later.

Question 9

Evaluate reciprocity and interactional synchrony

strength based on subject matter

Answer 9

Another strength is that infants don’t care if they are being observed so their behaviour doesnt change in the controlled enviroment which is unusual for observational research. This means that the reaearch has good validity

Question 10

Evaluate reciprocity and interactional synchrony

weakness with however

Answer 10

Feldman points out that synchrony (and by implication reciprocity) simply describe behaviours thet occur at the same time. These can be reliably observed, but this is not particularly useful as it doesnt explain their purpose.
However there is evidence that reciprocal interaction and synchrony are helpful in the development of mother-infant attachment, as well as helpful in a stress responses, empathy, language and moral development.