Caregiver-infant interactions

Question 1

T / F:

A baby will form an attachment to the mother.

Answer 1

False - Attachments are to a primary care giver, this is not always the mother.

Question 2

What is interactional synchrony?

Answer 2

‘The temporal co-ordination of micro-level social behaviours’.

Question 3

What are the two key elements of interaction that facilitate attachments?

Answer 3

• Interactional synchrony,

- Reciprocity.

Question 4

When are two people described as ‘synchronised’?

Answer 4

Feldman (2007) - When they carry out the same actions simultaneously.

Question 5

When is an interaction recipricol?

Answer 5

When each person responds to the other and elicits a response from them.

Question 6

What sort of a role does the baby have in forming an attachment?

Answer 6

The baby has traditionally been seen to have a passive role, however, research has found that babies take an active role in forming bonds by starting interactions and maintaining social dialogue (without words).

Question 7

How did Brazleton (1975) describe reciprocity?

Answer 7

Interaction is a ‘dance’ because it is just like a couple’s dance where each partner responds to the other’s moves.

Question 8

What is an attachment?

Answer 8

A close two-way emotional bond between two individuals in which each individual sees the other as essential for their own emotional / physical security.

Question 9

How is synchrony shown in sports such as diving?

Answer 9

The divers perform in unison, each responds to their partner’s cues.

Question 10

How can an attachment (in humans) be displayed?

Answer 10

• Proximity,
• Separation anxiety,
• Secure-base behaviour.

Question 11

What is proximity?

Answer 11

When people stay physically close to those whom they are attached to.

Question 12

What is separation anxiety?

Answer 12

When people are distressed when left by their attachment figure, (even if only for a short-time).

Question 13

What is secure-base behaviour?

Answer 13

Making regular contact with those we are attached to even when we are being independent.

Question 14

Who described interaction as a ‘dance’ between the baby and mother?

Answer 14

Brazleton (1975)

Question 15

What did Meltzoff and Moore (1977) observe about the beginnings of interactional synchrony?

Answer 15

They observed interactional synchrony in infants as young as 2 weeks old, they also found an association between the expression or gesture the adult had displayed and the actions of the babies.

Question 16

What did Meltzoff and Moore (1977) observe about the beginnings of interactional synchrony?

Answer 16

They observed interactional synchrony in infants as young as 2 weeks old, further research found that actions occurred as young as 3 days old.

Question 17

What did Isabella (1989) find about the relationship between levels of synchrony and quality of attachment?

Answer 17

They found high levels of synchrony were associated with better quality mother-infant attachments.

Question 18

What did Meltzoff and Moore’s findings (1977) suggest about interactional synchrony?

Answer 18

They found infants as young as 3 days old displayed behaviours of synchrony which suggests that the behaviours are innate.

Question 19

What did Meltzoff and Moore’s findings (1977) suggest about interactional synchrony?

Answer 19

They found infants as young as 3 days old displayed behaviours of synchrony which suggests that the behaviours are innate rather than learned.

Question 20

How is it that infants can engage in social interactions despite having no verbal abilities?

Answer 20

They show many complex interactional behaviours and are born with innate reflexes such as grasping, sucking and sensory abilities.

Question 21

What actions do we (as adults) show that demonstrate reciprocity in daily life?

Answer 21

If someone holds their hand out to you, the response is typically to shake their hand as you are responding to their cues.

Question 22

Describe Tronick’s research:

Answer 22

When a mother is interacting with a baby and then stops moving and maintains a static expression the babies will try everything to reinstate communications (reaching, clapping, crying etc.)

Question 23

AO3 - Difficulties studying infants.

Answer 23

Many studies have shown the same behavioural patterns, however, what is observed is merely hand movements or changing facial expressions. It is hard to be certain that these are a response to the experiment or if they mean something else such as the baby is hungry.

Question 24

AO3 - Controlled observations.

Answer 24

Observations of mother-infant behaviour is generally well-controlled and filmed from multiple angles. This ensures fine details are captured and can be analysed later, furthermore the babies are unaware they are being watched and do not change their behaviours. This adds validity to the studies.

Question 25

AO3 - Purpose?

Answer 25

Feldman (2012) pointed out that synchrony simply describes behaviours but does not tell us why they are occurring. They are easily observed, however, due to the infants inability to speak we don’t know exactly why they occur.