Caregiver-Infant

• • Methods of communication between infant and carer
  • Interactional synchrony
  • Reciprocity
  • Mimicking
  • Bodily contact
  • Caregiverese
• Caregiver-infant interactions

  Deep and lasting emotional bonds between infants and caregivers, where both feel more secure when close
• Reciprocity


  • Mutual turn-taking form of interaction, where both caregiver and infant contribute by responding to each other's signals and cues
• Interactional synchrony

  • Simultaneous interaction between infant and caregiver, with matching coordinated behavior and emotional states
• Imitation

  • Infant directly copies the caregiver's expressions
• Sensitive responsiveness


  • Adult caregiver correctly interprets and appropriately responds to the infant's communication
• Meto and mo study found that infants aged 12-21 days could observe and reciprocate facial gestures through imitation
• Cohn and Tronick study found evidence of interactional synchrony and coordination in neonate-adult interactions
• Findings in caregiver-infant interaction research depend on inferences and assumptions about the infant's internal mental states, which are considered unscientific
• Why is it difficult to conclude the role of caregiver–infant interactions in the development of attachment?

  • cannot ever show cause and effect - ethically impossible to manipulate the amount of caregiver-infant interaction
  • extraneous factors - home environment / temperament = may have a long-term effect on attachment and cannot be controlled.