Caregiver-infant interactions Flashcards
A01
Outline caregiver-infant interactions
Babies have meaningful social interactions with their carers. Psychologists believe these interactions have important functions for childs social development
* Caregiver-infant interactions are characterized by two key features: reciprocity & interactional synchrony
A01
Define Attachment?
strong, two way emotional bond formed between a baby & their main caregiver.
> each individual see eachother -essential fot their own emotional security
A01
Reciprocity
research support:
How two people interact
>When each person responds to other p signals & elicits response from them
E.g mother-infant interactions are reciprocal( twol way)- infant & mother responds to eachothers signals & elict response from eachother
A01
Outline Feldman & Eidelman: Alert phases
Research support for reciprocity
Feldman & Eidelman found:
>babies have alert phases in which they signal(eye contact)
> mothers pick up on & respond to babies alertness two thirds of the time
> From 3 months these interaction becomes frequent & involves close attention to eachothers verbal signals & facial expressions, & becomes reciprocal
A01
Outline Brazeltons study-active involvement
Research support for reciprocity
importance of reciprocity was demonstrated by Brazleton et al, who found
both mothers & children can initiate interactions & take turns,
Brazelton-describes interaction as a dance, like a couples dance, each partner responds to each others moves
A01
Define Interactional synchrony
Caregiver & baby reflect each others actions & emotions of the other in coordinated way(synchronised).
* Feldman- 2 people are said to be ‘synchronised’ when carry out same action simultaneously
- when caregiver and infant interact in way that emotions and actions mirror each other.
A01
researchers for Interactional synchrony
- Feldman
- Meltzoff and Moore
- Isabella et al
A01
How did Meltzoff and Moore observe start of interactional synchrony?
Researc support for interactional synchrony
observed beginning of interactional synchrony in babies of 2 weeks old
> adult displayed 3 facial expressions
> babies response filmed & labelled by independent observers
Babies expressions& gestures mirrored adults-thus was an association
A01
How did Isabella et al observe Interactional Synchrony?
Research support for interactional synchrony
> observed 30 mothers & babies- assessed synchrony & quality of mother-infant attachment
found -high levels of synchrony found in better quality mother infant attachments( e.g the emotional intensity of relationship)
A03
Outline Filmed observation of caregiver-Infant interactions as strength?
strength
> filmed observations are controlled, in laboratory
recorded & analysed
filmed interactions means more than 1 observers can record date & establish inter-rater reliability
babies not aware being observed thus behaviours not change -good reliability & validity
A03
observing behaviour-no development importance
Limitation with counterpoint
Feldman-synchrony & reciprocity, outline patterns of observable caregiver & Infant behaviours
- not purpose of behaviours
- no evidence to show reciprocity & interactional syncrony important for childs development
- Counterpoint:
- research by isabella et al suggests early interactions are important , found achieving interactional synchrony predicted development of good quality attachments
A03
outline difficulties observing babies
Limitation of research into caregiver interactions
> hard to interpret babys behaviour
As Young babies lack co-ordination & bodies are immobile
cannot justify whether movements random or triggered by cargivers actions
cannot be certain observational research of reciprocity & interactyional synchrony have special meanings
