caregiver-infant interactions

Question 1

when is an interaction said to show reciprocity?

Answer 1

• when each person responds to the other and evokes a response from them
• for example, a caregiver might respond to his baby’s smile by saying something and then this in turn evokes a response from his baby..
• it is an essential part of any conversation , otherwise people talk over each other.

Question 2

what are alert phases?

Answer 2

• babies have alert phases in which they signal that they are ready for a spell of interaction.

Question 3

when is interactional synchrony said to take place?

Answer 3

• it takes place when caregiver and baby interact in such a way that their actions and emotions mirror the other.

Question 4

what did meltzoff and moore observe in their research?

Answer 4

• the beginnings of interactional synchrony in babies as young as 2 weeks old.

Question 5

what was meltzoff and moore’s procedure?

Answer 5

• an adult displayed one of three facial expressions or one of three distinctive gestures.
• the baby’s response was filmed and labelled by independent observers.

Question 6

what were meltzoff and moore’s findings?

Answer 6

• babies expression and gestures were more likely to mirror those of the adults more than chance would predict I.e there was a significant association.

Question 7

what type of analysis did isabella et al use?

Answer 7

frame-by-frame analysis

Question 8

what was isabella et al’s procedure?

Answer 8

• observed 30 mothers and babies together and assessed the degree of interactional synchrony they displayed.
• the researchers also assessed the quality of mother-baby attachment in these mothers and babies by observing them a first time and then a second time a few months later to see how their interactions developed over time

Question 9

where were isabella et al’s findings?

Answer 9

• that mothers and babies that showed high levels of interactional synchrony and reciprocity had strong attachment bonds.
• isabella et al found a positive correlation between interactional synchrony and the strength of the attachment bond.

Question 10

strength of research into caregiver-infant interactions - filmed observations

Answer 10

• usually filmed in a laboratory
• this means that other activity that might distract a baby can be controlled.
• also, using films can be recorded and analysed later. therefore, it is unlikely that researchers will miss seeing key behaviours. furthermore, having filmed interactions means that more one observer can record data and establish the inter-rather reliability of observations.
• therefore the data collected in such research should have good reliability and validity.

Question 11

limitation of research into caregiver-infant interactions - difficulty observing babies

Answer 11

• it is hard to interpret a baby’s behaviour
• young babies lack coordination and much of their bodies are almost immobile. the movements being observed are just small hand movements or subtle changes in expression.
• it is difficult to be sure whether a baby is smiling or just passing wind for example.
• it is also difficult to determine what is taking place from the baby’s perspective.
• this means we cannot be certain that the behaviours seen in caregiver-infant interactions have special meaning.