L1 - Caregiver-Infant Interactions Flashcards
what is DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY?
DEVLOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY is a BRANCH OF PSYCHOLOGY concerned with the PROGRESSIVE BEHAVIOURAL CHANGES that occur in individuals ACROSS THEIR LIFESPAN
what is ATTACHMENT?
ATTACHMENT is an EMOTIONAL BOND BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE. It is a TWO WAY PROCESS that ENDURES OVER TIME
what is RECIPROCITY? (outline)
RECIPROCITY is also referred to as TURN TAKING. It is a TWO WAY, MUTUAL PROCESS where each party RESPONDS to the OTHER’S SIGNALS TO SUSTAIN INTERACTION.
The behaviour of EACH PARTY ELICITS A RESPONSE FROM THE OTHER.
what have has RESEARCH INTO RECIPROCITY demonstrated?
research has demonstrated that INFANTS COORDINATE THEIR ACTIONS with their CAREGIVER’S ACTIONS in a kind of CONVERSATION.
The REGULARITY of a INFANT’S SIGNALS allows a caregiver to ANTICIPATE THE INFANT’S BEHAVIOUR and RESPOND APPROPRIATELY.
This SENSITIVITY TO INFANT BEHAVIOUR lays the FOUNDATION for LATER ATTACHMENT between the CAREGIVER and the INFANT.
what is INTERACTIONAL SYNCHRONY? (outline)
INTERACTIONAL SYNCHRONY is when ADULTS and BABIES RESPOND IN TIME to SUSTAIN COMMUNICATION.
The CAREGIVER and the INFANT INTERACT in such a way that their ACTIONS and EMOTIONS MIRROR EACH OTHER.
study into INTERACTIONAL SYNCHRONY - MELTZOFF AND MOORE?
A STUDY into INTERACTIONAL SYNCHRONY by MELTZOFF AND MOORE found that INFANTS AS YOUNG AS TWO OR THREE WEEKS OLD IMITATED SPECIFIC FACIAL AND HAND GESTURES that they saw adults do.
An adult model displayed ONE OF THREE FACIAL EXPRESSIONS or HAND GESTURES. A DUMMY was placed in the baby’s mouth DURING THE DISPLAY to PREVENT ANY RESPONSE.
Following the display the DUMMY WAS REMOVED and the INFANT’S EXPRESSION WAS FILMED. They found that there was an ASSOCIATION between the INFANT’S BEHAVIOUR and the ADULT MODEL.
+ RESEARCH SUPPORT (EVALUATING CAREGIVER INFANT INTERACTIONS)
+ INTERACTIONAL SYNCHRONY has been DEMONSTRATED IN SEVERAL STUDIES.
MELTZOFF AND MOORE found that INFANTS AS YOUNG AS THREE DAYS OLD were displaying this behaviour, which seems to SUGGEST that the IMITATION BEHAVIOURS are NOT LEARNED and are INNATE
+ MURRAY AND TREVARTHEN (EVALUATING CAREGIVER INFANT INTERACTIONS)
+ MURRAY AND TREVARTHEN got MOTHERS TO INTERACT with their babies over a VIDEO MONITOR.
In the next part of the study the babies were PLAYED A TAPE OF THEIR MOTHER so she was NOT RESPONDING TO THEM.
The babies tried to ATTRACT THEIR MOTHER’S ATTENTION but when the FAILED they GAVE UP RESPONDING.
This shows that babies WANT THEIR MOTHERS TO RECIPROCATE
+ ABRAVANAL and DeYONG (EVALUATING CAREGIVER INFANT INTERACTIONS)
+ ABRAVANAL and DeYONG OBSERVED INFANT BEHAVIOUR when INTERACTING WITH A PUPPET that LOOKED LIKE A HUMAN MOUTH OPENING AND CLOSING.
Infants made LITTLE RESPONSE TO THIS, which shows that they are NOT JUST IMITATING WHAT THEY SEE; INTERACTIONAL SYNCHRONY is a SPECIFIC SOCIAL RESPONSE
- INFERENCES (EVALUATING CAREGIVER INFANT INTERACTIONS)
- Babies CANNOT COMMUNICATE so psychologists are RELYING ON THEIR INFERENCES.
They CANNOT BE SURE that INFANTS ARE ACTUALLY TRYING TO COMMUNICATE.
- PROBLEMS WITH THE PROCEDURE (EVALUATING CAREGIVER INFANT INTERACTION)
- The EXPRESSIONS in MELTZOFF AND MOORE’S STUDY (tongue sticking out, yawning, smiling) are ones that INFANTS FREQUENTLY MAKE so they MAY NOT HAVE BEEN DELIBERATELY IMITATING WHAT THEY SAW
- LAB SETTINGS (DIFFICULTIES ASSOCIATED WITH INVESTIGATING CAREGIVER INFANT INTERACTION)
- Studies have shown that babies’ ATTACHMENT BEHAVIOURS ARE MUCH STRONGER IN LAB SETTINGS THAN THEIR HOME ENVIRONMENT.
Therefore, studies should take place in a NATURAL SETTING to increase VALIDITY
- OBSERVATIONAL STUDIES (DIFFICULTIES ASSOCIATED WITH INVESTIGATING CAREGIVER INFANT INTERACTION)
- most studies into caregiver infant interaction are OBSERVATIONAL so there MAY BE BIAS in the OBSERVER’S INTERPRETATION of what they see (OBSERVER BIAS)
This can be countered by using MORE THAN ONE OBSERVER (INTER RATER RELIABILITY)
- PRACTICAL ISSUES (DIFFICULTIES ASSOCIATED WITH INVESTIGATING CAREGIVER INFANT INTERACTION)
- there are PRACTICAL ISSUES when investigating caregiver infant interactions.
Infants are OFTEN ASLEEP or FEEDING when psychologists want to observe them.
Researchers need to use FEWER and SHORTER OBSERVATION PERIODS because of babies’ LIMITED WORKING PERIODS
- ETHICS (DIFFICULTIES ASSOCIATED WITH INVESTIGATING CAREGIVER INFANT INTERACTION)
- extra care needs to be taken in relation to ETHICS when investigating caregiver infant interactions so as NOT TO AFFECT THE CHILD or PARENT in ANY WAY - e.g protection from harm, confidentiality.
