caregiver-infant interactions

Question 1

why does filming interaction synchrony enhance the validity of Meltzoff and Moores study?

Answer 1

allows researched to analyse observations later, ensuring no ambiguity in babies responses and minimising missed behaviours

Question 2

how does using 2-3 week old infants in research improve validity?

Answer 2

at such a young age the infants are unaware of being filmed so their behaviour remain natural

Question 3

what did Murray and trevarthens (1985) study show about infants responses during video interactions?

Answer 3

infants showed distress and actively tried to gain mothers attention when she did not interact. indicating infants are active and intentional

Question 4

why is studying infant behaviour challenging in research?

Answer 4

infants lack coordinated movements, move randomly and may independently test facial expressions, making it hard to distinguish general behaviours to responses

Question 5

what makes findings from infant research uncertain?

Answer 5

the difficulty in distinguishing specific responses to adults from general behaviours reduces certainty in the findings

Question 6

why might the still face experiment lack ecological validity?

Answer 6

conducted in a lab, it may not accurately predict real-world behaviours and could exaggerate or inhibit natural infant reactions

Question 7

how might a lab setting affect infants behaviour in studies like the still face experiment?

Answer 7

infants might react differently due to the unfamiliar environment, potentially heightening sensitivity to being ignored by their parent