Caregiver-infant Interactions In Humans

Question 1

Define attachment

Answer 1

An emotional relationship between two people characterised by proximity seeking, and resulting in the feeling of security when in the presence of each other

Question 2

What are the two ways caregivers and infants communicate

Answer 2

Reciprocity
Interactional synchrony

Question 3

Define reciprocity

Answer 3

Means ‘two way’- either the infant or the caregiver triggers a response in the other. A key feature is turn taking. The infant uses alert phases to initiate this reciprocal interaction, making them an active participant in communication

Question 4

Define interactional synchrony

Answer 4

The infant and caregiver simultaneously mirror each others behaviour. Unlike reciprocity they show the same or similar behaviour

Question 5

What are two strengths? Tronick et al 1979

Answer 5

Evidence for reciprocity being a natural part of infant-caregiver interactions (blank facr experiement which distressed the infant) supporting the idea that reciprocity is expected by the infant and needed for their sense of security and happiness.
It has a controlled nature of research- the infants were filmed in a laboratory high can be rewatched so no key details are missed and checks inter-rate reliability - extraneous variables can also be removed in a lab so it’s deemed as scientific

Question 6

What’s a limitation of research in infant-caregiver interactions?

Answer 6

Babies can’t talk so inferences are made from their behaviour which may be incorrect and easily misinterpreted which questions the validity as perhaps the interpretations are inaccurate

Question 7

What a strength (Van den Boom 1994)

Answer 7

It has practical implications as there are programmes to help parents understand how to use the techniques properly
Van dem Bloom found that 63% of infants had healthier attachments if their parents went to these programmes compared with the control group being 22%
So it’s important and programmes have been made to assist it