Infant caregiver interactions

• Reciprocity


  Infant responds to actions of primary caregiver
• Reciprocity


  • Brazleton et al. rhythmic like a dance
  • Interactional synchrony = infants mirror actions simultaneously
• Meltzoff and Moore study


  1. Adult displayed hand gesture and facial expression

  2. Babies videoed for reaction
• Association found between adult display and infant reaction
• Limitations of research


  • Lack of reliability testing children, mouths always moving
  • Methodological issues using observational methods, observer bias
  • Koepke recreated study and failed to find the same results
• Research to support intentionality, Abravenel and Deyong interaction with tongue simulation, Infants 5-12 weeks, both groups no reciprocity
• Only securely attached infants show interactional synchrony

  Isabella et al found more securely attached infants greater, lacks generalisability
• • recreated the study later with infants only 3 days old, imitation not learnt.