Caregiver-infant interactions

• Define reciprocity

  A behaviour which triggers a response from the caregiver e.g if a baby cries, the mother will pick them up.

  
• Define interactional synchrony


  The way in which an infant moves in sync with the mother like a conversation. For instance, if the mother waves, the infant may wave back. Can also include emotional synchrony as well as just behavioural.

  
• Define attachment

  An emotional, two-way bond between two people that develops over time.

  
• Does research show that reciprocity and interactional synchrony are innate or reinforced? Refer to the research.

  Meltzoff and Moore (1977) say it is innate. However, Piaget (1962) disagreed and says it is a result of a reward (reinforced). Yet, Meltzoff and Moore are backed up by a study from Murray and Trevarthen (1985) in which mothers and babies interacted over a video monitor. When the baby recieved no response from the mother, it became distressed. This suggests that the baby does not create a response after recieving a response from its mother aka that Meltzoff and Moore are correct.

  
• EVALUATION: Problems with testing infant behaviour. Explain.

  Infants' facial expressions are constantly changing so it is difficult to distinguish between what is imitated and what is just natural.

  
• EVALUATION: Failure to replicate. Explain.


  In replica studies of Meltzoff and Moore, similar results were not "achieved". Therefore, the study is not very reliable.

  
• EVALUATION: Is the behaviour intentional? Explain.

  Additional research found that when interacting with inanimate objects, the babies' expressions did not change very much, if at all. Therefore, we can draw the conclusion that the expression is a social response to other humans.

  
• EVALUATION: Individual differences. Explain.

  Research has shown that infants with strong infant-caregiver attachments have higher interactional synchrony with their caregiver. So therefore, this differs between infant to infant.

  
• EVALUATION: The value of the research. Explain.

  The research carried out by Meltzoff and Moore is extremely valuable and important due to the fact that their theory forms the basis of social development and forming social relationships.