Caregiver infant interactions (humans)

Question 1

What is reciprocity?

Answer 1

A form of interaction between infant and caregiver involving mutual responsiveness, with both infant and caregiver responding to each other, and each elicits a response from the other

Question 2

Give an example of reciprocity

Answer 2

Smiling- when infant smiles, it triggers a smile in caregiver and vice versa

Question 3

What is interactional synchrony?

Answer 3

When two people interact and tend to mirror what the other is doing in terms of their facial and body movements

Question 4

Give an example of interactional synchrony

Answer 4

A caregiver who laughs in response to their infant’s giggling sounds and tickles them is experiencing interactional synchrony

Question 5

When is international synchrony most likely to develop?

Answer 5

If the caregiver attends fully to the baby’s state, provides playful simulation when the infant is alert and attentive, and avoids pushing things when an overexcited or tired infant is fussy

Question 6

What is the difference between reciprocity and interactional synchrony?

Answer 6

Interactional synchrony is mirroring each others movements, whereas reciprocity is the communication between an infant and caregiver where they understand each other

Question 7

Reciprocity AO3

Answer 7

Important- influences child’s physical, social and cognitive development, shapes future relationships
Research support- Jaffe et al said that from birth babies move in rhythm when interacting with an adult, almost like a conversation

Question 8

Interactional synchrony AO3

Answer 8

Important- He-man showed that infant who demonstrate a lot of imitation from birth had been found to have a better quality relationship at 3 months. However, not clear whether imitation is cause or effect
Hard to establish what is happening from infant’s perspective
Well controlled observations- high validity