Caregiver-Infant Interactions

Question 1

Attachment

Answer 1

A close, two-way emotional bond between 2 individuals in which each individual sees the other as essential for their own emotional security –> In humans, attachment takes a few months to form

Question 2

Proximity

Answer 2

Being physically close. We want to be physically close to our attachment figure
* 0.5m - intimate
* 1.2m - personal
* 3m - social

Question 3

Separation Anxiety

Answer 3

We become distressed when we are away from our attachment figure

Question 4

Secure-Base Behaviour

Answer 4

Explore the world –> Exploring generates fear and anxiety –> Attachment base –> Explore the world

Question 5

Caregiver

Answer 5

Anyone who provides care for a child

Question 6

Infant

Answer 6

A child’s first year of life, but some also include 2nd year

Question 7

Caregiver-Infant Interactions

Answer 7

• Communication between caregiver and infant
• Believed that these interactions have important functions for social development, and form the basis of the attachment between the two
• If they are more responsive or sensitive to the other’s signals, it shows a deeper bond

Question 8

Reciprocity (turn-taking)

Answer 8

• A two-way, or mutual, process in which each party responds to the other’s signals to sustain the interaction
• Thought to be a precursor to later communication
• As infant signals are regular, this enables the caregiver to anticipate the infant’s behaviour and respond appropriately

Question 9

Reciprocity: Research

Answer 9

• Feldman & Eidelman (2007): Mothers respond 66% of the time
• Feldman (2007): After ~3mo, interactions become reciprocal
• Brazleton et al (1975): babies were once labelled passive but now are seen as ‘dance partners’

Question 10

Interactional Synchrony

Answer 10

• When a caregiver and infant reflect the actions and emotions of the other in a coordinated way
• They mirror each other in terms of their facial and body movements
• This is different to reciprocity as in reciprocity the responses aren’t necessarily similar

Question 11

Interactional Synchrony: Research

Answer 11

• Feldman (2007): Like synchronised swimmers, we irror in interactions iwth caregivers
• Meltzoff & Moore (1977): Seen in infants as young as 2 weeks
• Isabella et al (1989): Might be responsible for quality of mother-infant attachments

Question 12

Meltzoff & Moore (1977): Experiment Information

Answer 12

• Aim: To discover features of infant-caregiver interactions
• IV: Adult’s actions (responding/not)
• DV: Times infant ‘copies’ adult action per expression/gesture

Question 14

Meltzoff & Moore (1977): Experiment Procedure

Answer 14

• Still face experiment
• Controlled observation
• Adult displayed 1 of 3 facial expressions or hand gestures
• Child initially had a dummy to stop facial expressions
• Following the display from the adult, the dummy was removed and the reactions filmed

Question 15

Meltzoff & Moore (1977): Results and Conclusion

Answer 15

• Clear association between infants’ behaviour and adult models’ display
• Interactional synchrony, reciprocity, secure base behaviour