Caregiver-infant interactions

• What is attachment in the context of caregiver-infant interactions?

  Attachment is a two-way enduring emotional tie to another specific person.
• Why do individuals see their attachment figure as essential?


  They see the other person as essential for their emotional security.
• What are the characteristics of attachment?


  1. Proximity - staying physically close to attachment figures.
  2. Separation distress - feeling distressed when away from attachment figures.
  3. Stranger distress - feeling distressed in the presence of unknown persons.
• How do precocial and altricial animals differ in terms of attachment needs?


  Precocial animals are born advanced, while altricial animals like humans need to form attachments for protection and nurturing.
• What is necessary for human survival according to the study material?

  Attachments are necessary for our survival.
• How do attachments form between caregivers and infants?


  Interactions that develop and maintain attachment bonds include:

  1. Bodily contact
  2. Mimicking
  3. Caregiverese (baby talk)
  4. Interactional synchrony
  5. Reciprocity
• What is reciprocity in caregiver-infant interactions?


  Reciprocity is when each person responds to the other and elicits a response.
• What role do babies play in reciprocal interactions?


  Babies play an active role by initiating interactions and signaling their desire for interaction.
• What did Tronick's research (1979) demonstrate about reciprocity?


  It showed that babies become distressed when their mothers do not respond to their attempts at interaction.
• What is interactional synchrony in caregiver-infant interactions?


  • Interactional synchrony occurs when mother and infant's actions and emotions mirror each other.
  • They develop a shared sense of timing in emotions and behaviors.
• What did Meltzoff and Moore's research (1977) find regarding interactional synchrony?


  They found an association between adult gestures and infant responses, indicating early signs of interactional synchrony.
• What does the research by Evans and Porter (2009) focus on?


  It studied reciprocity, interactional synchrony, and attachment quality in infants and their mothers.
• How many infants and mothers were involved in Evans and Porter's study?


  101 infants and their mothers were involved.
• What was assessed at 12 months in Evans and Porter's study?


  The quality of mother-infant attachment was assessed using the Strange Situation test.
• What was the relationship between reciprocal interactions and attachment quality in Evans and Porter's study?


  Babies judged to be securely attached tended to have the most reciprocal interactions and interactional synchrony.
• What are the strengths of research into caregiver-infant interactions?

  Strengths:

  • Controlled observations provide good validity.
  • Detailed behaviors can be recorded and analyzed.
  • Babies are unlikely to change behavior due to observation.
• What are the practical applications of research into mother-infant interactions?


  • Promotes good parenting skills.
  • Reminds parents of the importance of human interaction.
  • Can lead to better attachment between parents and children.
• What is a limitation of studying infants in caregiver-infant interactions?


  It is difficult to know if an infant's imitation of adult signals is conscious or deliberate.
• Why is research into caregiver-infant interaction considered socially sensitive?


  It suggests that certain child-rearing practices may disadvantage children.
• What implication does the research suggest regarding mothers returning to work after childbirth?


  It suggests that returning to work too soon may restrict opportunities for achieving interactional synchrony.
• What burden does the research into caregiver-infant interactions place on primary caregivers?


  It adds a huge burden of responsibility regarding the timing of their return to work.
• Infants are born with the capacity to recognize faces, which helps them form attachments and interact socially.