Reciprocity And Interactional Synchrony

Question 1

What is reciprocity

Answer 1

It is between an infant and a caregiver which results in a mutual behaviours which produces a turn taking conversation response. E.g the infant smiles and the parent smiles back

Question 2

What is interactional synchrony?

Answer 2

It is when the infant imitates facial and hand gestures from the adult model in which refer to a fine tuned coordination between the infant and caregiver during speaking and listening

Question 3

What did research such as Brazelton (1979) show about reciprocity

Answer 3

Reciprocity is an important precursor for the development of communication later

The sensitivity to the infants response is the foundation for development of attachments

Question 4

Outline the study of meltzoff and Moore

Answer 4

• they used an adult model which displayed three different facial and hand gestures
• a dummy was placed in the infants mouth to avoid any repose
• after the display was finished they took the dummy out of the infants mouth and they filmed the infants reaction
• they found that there was an association between the infants and adult model

Question 5

Who said that the imitation only developed at the end of the year and it was a result of operant conditioning

Answer 5

Jean Piaget

Question 6

Name 3 evaluation points

Answer 6

• lacks validity as infants mouths are always on constant movement therefore it is difficult to measure general behaviour and interactional synchrony
• lacks reliability as Koepke et al replicated the study and found that the findings were not the same but meltzoff and Moore said it was because it was a lab study
• it is not universal as the innate and necessary attachment as Kenyan mother were found to have less interaction with their kids but still have secure attachment