Caregiver-Infant Interactions Flashcards
By what processes do caregivers and infants interact?
reciprocity
interactional synchrony
What is meant by reciprocity?
caregiver responds to the infant and elicits a response from the infant
What is an example of caregiver-infant reciprocity?
caregiver responds to infant smiling by clapping which in turn elicits a response from the infant
What is an infant alert phase?
whereby the infant signal that they are ready for a spell of interaction
What fraction of time do mothers recognise and respond to alert phases?
2/3 (Feldman and Eidelman, 2007)
What did Feldman (2007) conclude in terms of reciprocity?
around 3 months interaction tends to be increasingly frequent and involves close attention form both mother and infant to verbal signals and facial expressions
What is meant by active involvement?
both caregiver and infant take active role when initiating interactions and appear to take turns in doing so
-likened to a dance (Brazelton et al, 1975)
What is interactional synchrony?
caregiver and infant reflect both actions and emotions of the other and do this in a co-ordinated way
How does Feldman define interactional synchrony?
temporal co-ordination of micro-level social behaviour
Who researched interactional synchrony?
Meltzoff and Moore, 1977
What did Meltzoff and Moore observe in relation to interactional synchrony?
beginnings of interactional synchrony in as early as 2 weeks old
How did Meltzoff and Moore explore interactional synchrony?
adult displayed one of three facial expressions or distinctive gestures
baby’s response filmed and labelled by independent observers
What were Meltzoff and Moore’s findings from their research into international synchrony?
babies expressions and gestures more likely to mirror those of adults more than chance would predict
significant association
How did Isabella et al (1989) demonstrate the importance of interactional synchrony in attachment?
observed 30 mothers and babies and assessed degree of synchrony
researchers assessed quality of mother-baby attachment
What were Isabella et al’s findings into interactional synchrony and its importance?
high levels of synchrony associated with better quality mother-baby attachment (e.g emotional intensity of relationship)
How can we evaluate caregiver-infant interactions?
A: Difficult to interpret babies behaviour: Lack co-ordination and mainly immobile: Movements observed are subtle hand movements or expressions: Difficult to identify babies perspective, is it in response to caregiver?: Cannot be certain behaviours observed relate to attachment quality: Criticises validity
I: Principles of interactional synchrony and reciprocity educate caregivers on how to improve quality of attachment through 10-minute Parent-Child Therapy (Crotwell et al): For example, caregiver paying attention in responding to baby in order to elicit response: Wider applicability, improves ecological validity.
I: Suggests caregivers who do not spend time in responding to baby’s actions will have inevitable poor quality of attachment: Negative implications for working mothers who do not have that opportunity to continually respond to their baby: Damages validity as socially sensitive.
S: Isabella et al implemented laboratory conditions to observe interactional synchrony: Other activity that may distract the baby is reduced: Control over extraneous and confounding variables: Dependent variable directly measured: Higher validity.
S: Meltzoff and Moore utilised filmed observations to record interactional synchrony: Reduces likelihood of important behaviours being missed: Multiple independent observers can analyse film: Increases inter-rater reliability: Babies unaware they are being observed (overt): Natural behaviours produced, no demand characteristics: Increases validity of findings.
