Key Study: Early Mother-Infant Reciprocity in Human Neonates - Brazleton et Al (1974)

Question 1

What is the aim of this study?

Answer 1

To investigate the reciprocal social interactions between mothers and their young infants.

Question 2

What is the method of this study?

Answer 2

The study observed 12 mother-infant pairs over the first five months of the infant’s life. Each session involved videotaped interactions where the mother played with the infant for 3 minutes using positive facial expressions, then left for 30 seconds while the infant was alone. She then returned for another 3-minute interaction. Mothers were also instructed to sometimes display a still, unresponsive face.

Question 3

What are the findings of this study?

Answer 3

During face-to-face play, infants moved smoothly, in circular patterns and looked at their mothers often. However, when mothers became unresponsive, infants’ movements turned jerky, they looked away, tried briefly to regain attention, and eventually curled up and lay still.

Question 4

What is the conclusion of this study?

Answer 4

This suggests that reciprocal behaviours are crucial to attachment formation.

Question 5

(+) Reciprocity is supported by research

Answer 5

P: A strength of reciprocity is that is it supported by research.

E: Brazelton et Al (1974) found that a caregiver’s actions did elicit a response from the infant - when a mother carried out face-to-face interactional play the infants moved their bodies in a smooth, circular motion. However, when the caregiver’s behaviour changed and stopped responding to the infant, the child’s movements became jerky and eventually motionless.

E: This is strength because the research demonstrates that infants do respond to a caregiver’s behaviour and that these reciprocal behaviours are crucial to attachment formation.
L: Therefore, suggesting that the theory of reciprocity has validity.