caregiver-infant interactions

Question 1

reciprocity

Answer 1

-non-verbal communication
-coordinated actions (action from one elicits response from other)
-important for communication later on
-foundation of attachment

Question 2

interactional synchrony

Answer 2

-imitation
-meltsoff and moore findings
-not a learned behaviour
-innate

Question 3

Meltzoff and Moore (1977)
procedure

Answer 3

-investigating interactional synchrony
-adult model demonstrated one of 3 facial expressions (e.g. tongue protrusion, mouth opening, lip protrusion)
-first with dummy in infants mouth, second dummy removed and actions repeated
-infant recorded
-independent observers judge the infants actions without having seen what the model did

Question 4

Meltzoff and Moore (1977)
findings

Answer 4

-infants of 2-3 weeks old imitated the facial and hand expressions
-interactional synchrony is an innate behaviour

Question 5

Meltzoff and Moore (1977)
support - innate

Answer 5

-some argue that the imitation was a learned behaviour
-repeated the experiment
-infants of 2-3 days old also imitated
-must be innate (no time for that behaviour to be learned)

Question 6

Meltzoff and Moore
limitation - issues testing infant behaviour

Answer 6

-infants usually in constant movement
-difficult to identify imitated behaviour from natural behaviours.
-limitation because it means that the findings could me invalid

Question 7

Meltzoff and Moore
limitation - failure to replicate

Answer 7

-Koepke et al (1983)
-failed to replicate the same findings
-Meltzoff and Moore argue that this was due to a lack of control
-limitation because shows methodological issues

Question 8

Meltzoff and Moore
support - specific social response

Answer 8

-used machines instead of models (tongue protrusion and mouth opening)
-to test the infants intention
-5-12 week old infants didn’t imitate the machines
-support as it proves the infants were purposely imitating the person and not just the action

Question 9

Meltzoff and Moore
limitation - individual differences

Answer 9

-found that infants with a strong attachment show greater levels of interactional synchrony
-infants who show a lot of imitation form better relationships
-limitation as cause and affect cannot be confirmed

Question 10

Meltzoff ‘like me’ hypothesis

Answer 10

1) connection between what infant sees and their immitation
2) infants associate their actions with their underlying mental states
3) infants use these actions to project their feelings onto others

Question 11

Theory of mind

Answer 11

-infant begins to understand and identify the mental states of others
-key to forming social relationships

Question 12

signs of attachment?

Answer 12

1) proximity seeking
2) separation protest
3) pleasure at reunion
4) secure base effect
5) stranger anxiety
6) general orientation of behaviour towards carer