Caregiver-infant interactions Flashcards
What is the definition of attachment
An affectional bond between two people which endured over time, both seek to maintain proximity, signs of separation anxiety when separated
What characteristics are shown if an caregiver-infant attachment has been formed?
Desire to keep in close proximity
Distress when separated from the person
individual gives infant a sense of security
What is interactional synchrony
When two people are synchronised when they carry out the same action simultaneously
In attachment, this takes place when the carer and infant’s actions and emotions ‘mirror’ each other
What was the Meltzoff and Moore study?
Meltzoff and Moore observed the beginnings of interactional synchronising in babies as young as two weeks old. An adult displayed one of three distinctive gestures. The baby’s expression and gestures were more likely to mirror those of the adults more than chance would predict it(significant association)
What is reciprocity
Responding to the action of one with a similar action
Both carer and infant imitate interactions and turn take
The regularity of the interactions help the caregiver to anticipate and respond to infant behaviour
What is the Tronick et al experiment
The still face experiment
- Mother plays with baby then does not interact with baby and keeps a straight face
- Baby tries to use all it’s abilities to interact with mother such as smiling and pointing
- The baby makes screeching noises
- Baby’s look away and display negative emotions such as stress and begins to cry.
Strength of research into Caregiver-infant interactions
Observations capture fine detail- Observations are highly controlled to enable thorough analysis. Observations can also be recorded later which therefore allows the researcher to analyse the behaviour later which ensures less information is missed. Furthermore, filmed interactions also means that more than one observer can analyse the data and establish the inter-rate reliability of the observations. Finally, baby’s are not aware they are being observed, this therefore removes the chance of the baby demonstrating demand characteristics which is an issue with normal overt observations which therefore reduces the chance of the babies showing desired behaviour which may affect the results of the study. This therefore increases the validity of the research as it ensures less data is missed.
PA- Crotwell at al(2013)-10 minute parent child interaction session improved attachments in 20 low-income mothers and their pre-school infants compared to the control group. This is a strength as it highlights how research into caregiver-infant attachment has practical applications.
Weaknesses of research into caregiver-infant interactions(at least 2)
Research is socially sensitive. This means that the research potentially has negative consequences for those involved. This can be applied to caregiver-infant interactions as the findings of the research may cause parents to change the way they treat their infants.
Observations don’t tell us the purpose. Feldman(2012)- synchrony and reciprocity describes behaviours and not purpose. Research also suggests the mother-infant attachments helps with the stress response, empathy, language and moral development. However, these behaviours are displayed as facial expressions and small gestures which suggests that we cannot truly know what is happening on the baby’s perspective and therefore we cannot determine if the behaviours seen in caregiver-infant interactions have any special meaning
Why is it very difficult to reliably test infant behaviour: They are non-verbal so you can only measure non-verbal behaviour which can only be measured subjectively and therefore is open to interpretation
