Lesson 1 - Caregiver Infant Interactions

Question 1

Developmental Psychology

Answer 1

Branch of psychology concerned with the progressive behavioural changes that occur in individuals across their lifespan

Question 2

Attachment

Answer 2

Emotional bond between two people

Two way process that endures over time

Question 3

Reciprocity

Answer 3

Turn taking
Two way, mutual process where each party responds to the other’s signals to sustain interaction
Behaviour of each party elicits a response from the other

Question 4

Reciprocity - Jaffa et al. (1973)

Answer 4

Infants coordinate actions with caregiver’s as conversation
Regularity of infant’s signals allows a caregiver to anticipate the infant’s behaviour and respond appropriately
Sensitivity to infant behaviour lays foundation for later attachment between caregiver and infant

Question 5

Interactional Synchrony

Answer 5

Adults and babies respond in time to sustain communication

Caregiver and infant interact in a way where actions and emotions mirror each other

Question 6

Interactional Synchrony - Meltzoff and Moore (1977)

Answer 6

Infants as young as 2-3 weeks intimated specific facial and hand gestures they saw adults do
Adult model displayed one of three facial expressions or hand movements
Dummy was placed in baby’s mouth during the display to prevent response
Following display, dummy was removed and infants expressions filmed
Found there was association between infants behaviour and adult model

Question 7

Caregiver and Infant Interactions Evaluation ( + )
Interactional Synchrony
Meltzoff and Moore (1983)

Answer 7

Supports Interactional Synchrony
Infants as young as 3 days were displaying this behaviour
Suggests imitation behaviours are not learned and are innate

Question 8

Caregiver and Infant Interactions Evaluation ( + )
Reciprocity
Murray and Trevarthen (1985)

Answer 8

Mothers to interact with babies over video monitor
Next babies played tape of mother not responding
Babies tried to attract mother’s attention but when this failed they gave up responding
Shows babies want mothers to reciprocate

Question 9

Caregiver and Infant Interactions Evaluation ( + )
Interactional Synchrony
Abravanal and DeYong (1991)

Answer 9

Observed infant behaviour when interacting with puppet that looked like a human mouth opening and closing
Infants made little response which shows they are not just imitating what they see
Interactional synchrony is a specific social response

Question 10

Caregiver and Infant Interactions Evaluation ( - )

Inference

Answer 10

Babies cannot communicate
Psychologists rely on inferences
Cannot be sure infants are actually trying to communicate

Question 11

Caregiver and Infant Interactions Evaluation ( - )

Expressions

Answer 11

Expressions tested are ones that infants frequently make
May not have been deliberately imitating what they saw
(Tongue sticking out, yawning and smiling)

Question 12

Difficulties investigating caregiver infant interaction

Answer 12

1. Lab setting
2. Observer bias
3. Practical issues
4. Extra care for ethics

Question 13

Caregiver and Infant Interactions Evaluation Points

Answer 13

Interactional Synchrony Meltzoff and Moore (1983)
Reciprocity Murray and Trevarthen (1985)
Interactional Synchrony Abravanal and DeYong (1991)
Inference
Expressions