Caregiver - infant interactions

Question 1

define attachment

Answer 1

a close two way bond between two people

Question 2

What is an important part of attachment?

Answer 2

each person e.g) parent + child sees the other as important for their own emotional stability

Question 3

How is attachement and emotional stability shown in child behaviour?

Answer 3

e.g proximity-seeking ,separation distress and secure base behaviour

This helps protect a child from being harmed

Question 4

what can early attachment be seen as?

Answer 4

building blocks for later attachment + social development

Question 5

what is the earliest attachment?

Answer 5

a new-born baby being placed on the mothers chest

Question 6

When do early attachments occur?

Answer 6

before children learn language

usually 1st year of life

Question 7

The more receptive each is to the other’s signals…

Answer 7

stronger the relationship

Question 8

What are the key elements of early interactions?

Answer 8

reciprocity

interactional synchrony

Question 9

What is reciprocity?

Answer 9

refers to the way the caregiver-infant interaction is 2 way

mother and child appear to take turns

Question 10

define reciprocity

Answer 10

Both contribute to the exchange and can elict (make) a response from the other

Question 11

How might a mother or baby elict a response in the other?

Answer 11

infant may smile at carer and elict a smile and attention in return

Question 12

What is brazleton et al state? (1975)

Answer 12

reciprocal interaction can be seen as a metaphorical dance

Question 13

why can reciprocal interactions be referred metaphorically as a dance?

Answer 13

it involves a couples dance in which they both respond to eachothers moves

both initiate interactions and seem to take turns doing this

Question 14

What did brazelton et al also suggest?

Answer 14

the rhythm on the interactions are important in later life

Question 15

why did brazelton state that the rhythm of interactions are important in later life?

Answer 15

important for conversations + later communications

Question 16

what is interactional synchrony?

Answer 16

refers to the idea that interactions can also show synchrony

meaning that they are rhythmic, coordinated and show a sense of timing

Question 17

define interactional synchrony

Answer 17

the actions and emotions of one mirrors those of the other.

Question 18

state meltzoff and moore’s method?

Answer 18

adult displayed 1 of 3 facial expressions / distinctive gestures

child’s response was filmed + identified by independent observers

Question 19

What was meltzoff and moore’s findings?

Answer 19

interactional synchrony can be seen in infants as young as 2 weeks old

there was an association between the expression/gesture adult displayed and action of baby

Question 20

what year did meltzoff and moore conduct their research?

Answer 20

1977

Question 21

Why were meltzoff and moore’s findings important?

Answer 21

gave us evidence for interactional synchrony

shows us that the response in babies must me innate

Question 22

what year did isabella et al conduct her research?

Answer 22

1989

Question 23

state isabella et al’s method?

Answer 23

observed 30 mothers + infants together

assessing degree of synchrony

observed quality of mother - infant attachment

Question 24

what was isabella et al’s findings?

Answer 24

high levels of synchrony were associated with better quality mother - infant attachment

Question 25

why are isabella et al's findings emotionally sensitive?

Answer 25

findings can be used to blame mum e.g) mother being responsible for child attachment, therefore mother being out of synch w child, attachment will suffer

Question 26

advantage of observing babies

Answer 26

babies don't know/care that they're being observed therefore behaviour doesn't change in response to controlled observations

Question 27

Disadvantage of observing babies

Answer 27

uncertain to really observe what is taking place form the infants perspective don't know their intentions