Caregiver Infant Interactions

• Why is communication between a newborn and their mother vital?

  It is essential for attachment and survival
• How do infants build attachments beyond their mother?

  By interacting with other people in their lives
• What is the definition of attachment?

  • Long-lasting emotional bonds
  • Involves infant and caregiver
  • Both seek closeness and feel secure
• What is reciprocity in caregiver-infant interactions?

  Mutual turn-taking interaction like a conversation
• What is interactional synchrony?

  Simultaneous coordinated behavior between infant and adult
• What is sensitive responsiveness in caregiver interactions?

  Caregiver pays attention and responds appropriately
• What is child-directed speech?

  A sing-song voice used to engage infants
• Why is bodily contact important for attachment development?

  It encourages bonding and emotional connection
• What did midwives ensure after delivery for bonding?

  Skin-to-skin contact immediately after delivery
• What did Meltzoff's research demonstrate about infants?

  Infants imitate adults' expressions from early weeks
• What did Condon and Sander find in their research?

  Infants move rhythmically with adult voices
• What is a limitation of infant research regarding communication?

  Infants can't communicate their thoughts directly
• Why are inferences in infant research considered problematic?

  They are guesses about internal mental states
• How can psychological findings affect parents?

  Parents may feel good or bad based on theories
• What are the four stages of attachment identified by Schaffer?

  Asocial, indiscriminate, specific, multiple attachment
• What is the asocial stage of attachment?

  Lasts from birth to 6 weeks, no preference
• What happens during the indiscriminate attachment stage?

  Infants recognize familiar adults but show no anxiety
• What is the specific attachment stage?

  Strong connection to primary caregiver, shows anxiety
• What occurs in the multiple attachment stage?

  Infants develop attachments to other caregivers
• What did Schaffer find about separation anxiety?

  Occurs between 25 and 32 weeks of age
• What is a limitation of Schaffer's study regarding generalization?

  Sample was limited to working-class mothers in Glasgow
• What does temporal validity refer to in Schaffer's study?

  Child-rearing patterns have changed significantly
• What did Schaffer’s commitment to home visits ensure?

  Naturalistic behaviors were observed in families
• What percentage of infants had their mother as the primary attachment figure?

  65%
• What role do fathers typically play in infant interactions?

  Active play activities rather than caregiving
• What did Field's research suggest about primary caregiver fathers?

  They show more sensitive responsive behavior
• What did Riso's research find about father attachment?

  Strong attachment to fathers predicts making friends
• Why is research on fathers considered socially sensitive?

  It may imply mothers' roles are irreplaceable
• What are the economic implications of fathers' roles in infant development?

  Could lead to equalizing maternity and paternity leave
• What are the key concepts in the attachment unit?

  • Attachment definition
  • Reciprocity
  • Interactional synchrony
  • Sensitive responsiveness
  • Stages of attachment
  • Role of fathers
• What is reciprocity in interactions?

  Interaction where one person's contribution follows another's
• How do infants interact with their caregivers?

  Infants and caregivers respond to each other's signals
• When do babies show reciprocity to caregivers?

  From birth
• What do babies do during periods of alertness?

  They track caregivers, make eye contact, and signal
• How often can caregivers detect infants' alertness signals?

  About two-thirds of the time
• What can stress and distractions cause in caregiver-infant interactions?

  They can lead to missed alertness signals
• How is the interaction between infant and caregiver described?

  As a two-way process with active involvement
• What metaphor did Brazelton et al. use to describe infant-caregiver interaction?

  A 'dance' where each responds to the other
• What does the reciprocal relationship between infant and caregiver establish?

  Foundations for secure attachment
• Who devised the Still Face Experiment?

  Tronick