caregiver-infant interactions

• Attachment


  Close two way emotional bond between individuals, where they see each other as essential for security.
• 1 behaviour observed in attachment research: proximity


  Staying physically close to attachment figure.
• behaviour observed in attachment research: separation distress

  Upset caused by absence of attachment figure.
• behaviour observed in attachment research: secure-base behaviour

  Leaving attachment figure but returning when needed.
• Reciprocity, what is it?

  - from 3 months reciprocal interaction tends to be increasingly frequent


  One person responds to another's signals.
• Reciprocity in brazelton et al

  described this interaction as a 'dance' as its like a couple dance where they respond to each others moves what is this in proper terms?

  baby takes an active role, mum n child initiate interactions and take turns in doing so.
• Interactional Synchrony


  Coordination of two people, seen to be 'synchronised' when carrying out an action simultaneously.
• interactional synchrony was studied by meltzof and Moore, where they observed the start of interactional synchrony in infants as young as two weeks old

  what did they do to get the Childs response?

  adult displayed one of three facial expressions or one of three facial expressions/gestures

  the Childs reaction was recorded

  an association was found between the expression/gesture of the child
• Alert Phases


  Periods when babies signal readiness for interaction.
• High Synchrony


  Indicates higher quality of attachment, foundation in mother and baby connection that's built over years.
• high synchrony in Isabella et al

  observed 20 mums/infants together and assessed the synchrony/quality of mother-infant attachment

  what did researchers find?

  they found high levels of synchrony were associated with better mother-infant attachment.
• positives of interactional synchrony and reciprocity

  + controlled observations capture development- means there's good validity
• negatives of interactional synchrony and reciprocity

  - hard to know whats happening when observing infants, can't be certain the behaviours seen in mother-infant interactions have special meaning

  - observations don't tell us the purpose of synchrony and reciprocity, there's SOME evidence they're helpful in the development of mother-infant attachment, stress responses, empathy, language and moral development
• primary attachment


  usually with mothers, sometimes both
• Father's Role

  3% of cases, father is sole object of attachment

  27% father was joint first object of attachment with the mother

  75% eventually form secondary attachments with the father

  - fathers play is more important, but is less important in longterm emotional development

  limitations:

  - undermines idea of fathers having distinct roles, suggests secondary role isn't as important

  - research fails to provide clear answers about fathers and primary attachment

  - social biases prevent objective observation