Early Attachment - Interactional Synchrony & Reciprocity

Question 1

What is attachment?

Answer 1

• A process (it develops)
• A close (two way) emotional bond - both parent and infant are programmed to attach to each other
• Forms a prototype for later attachments
• based on social skills

Question 2

What is reciprocity?

Answer 2

• Behaviour begins at birth
• Describes the turn-taking behaviour between parent and child
• Described as a rhythm or responding to the action of another
• Action of one person produces a response in another

Allows parent or caregiver to predict infant behaviour

Question 3

What is interactional synchrony?

Answer 3

• When mother and infant reflect both the actions and emotions of the other and do this in a coordinated way

Question 4

Meltzoff and Moore intro facts

Answer 4

• 1977
• Observed beginnings of interactional synchrony from infants as young as 2 weeks
• Adult displayed 1 of 3 facial expressions or 1 of 3 distinctive gestures, child’s response was then filmed and identified by 3 independent observers
• A relationship was found between the expression or gesture the adult did and the actions the baby showed

Question 5

What did Meltzoff and Moore find in their experiment?

Answer 5

• Association between the infant behaviour and that of the adult role model (2-3 weeks)
• Infants did the same/ similar thing at 3 days old

Question 6

What did Tronick’s still face experiment show?

Answer 6

• The baby will copy and reciprocate mothers actions and expressions
• When mother ‘ still faces’ the baby tries to get a reaction from her
• When it fails it feels distress (squeals/looks away)

Question 7

What happens to the baby’s posture when it is in distress?

Answer 7

• Loses control and posture easily