caregiver-infant interactions

Question 1

what is attachment

Answer 1

a close emotional bond between 2 people, characterised by mutual affection and a desire to maintain proximity

Question 2

what is infancy

Answer 2

period of a child’s life before they’re able to talk (normally the first year)

Question 3

caregiver

Answer 3

anyone who’s providing care for the child

Question 4

word for when babies are born at a relatively early stage of development

Answer 4

altricial

Question 5

word for when animals are born at an advances stage of development

Answer 5

precocial

Question 6

what does reciprocity mean

Answer 6

the interaction flowing both ways between an adult and an infant e.g. mother smiling back at a baby

Question 7

what did Feldman observe and when

Answer 7

-in 2007
-from 3 months, reciprocity increases in frequency due to increasing attention and response sensitivities

Question 8

what is the phase when children show more reciprocity called

Answer 8

-the alert phase (ready for interaction)

Question 9

what did Brazelton et al describe and when

Answer 9

-in 1975
-mother child interactions are like a dance
-form foundation of later attachment known as alert phase

Question 10

what does interactional synchrony

Answer 10

when 2 people interact by mirroring facial and body movements including emotions

Question 11

what does interactional synchrony include

Answer 11

-imitating adults behaviour
-child’s imitations are synchronised to sustain a communication between 2 individuals

Question 12

what did meltzoff and Moore find and when

Answer 12

-infants as young as 2-3 weeks old immitasted specific facial and hand gestures
-therefore more nature than nurture on debate

Question 13

what was the aim of the meltzoff and Moore study

Answer 13

-to examine interactional synchrony in infants

Question 14

method of the meltzoff and Moore study

Answer 14

-controlled observation
-adult model displayed one of 3 facial expressions and hand gesture
-at the start, the child had dummy to prevent facial expression
-following display, dummy removed and child expressions were filmed

Question 15

what other age category did meltzoff and Moore find their study was applicable to

Answer 15

3 days old

Question 16

positives of meltzoff and Moore study

Answer 16

-controlled observations + captured fine details, a lot of cameras so high validity
- infants don’t know they’re being observed so cant adjust behaviour
mother infant attachments and stressful situations, developing empathy, language and morality

Question 17

what are reciprocal interaction and synchrony are helpful for

Answer 17

-mother infant attachments
-stressful situations
-developing empathy, language and morality