Caregiver infant interactions

    Cards (31)

    • Attachment
      A close two way emotional bond between individuals in which each individual sees the other as essential for their own emotional security
    • Attachment can happen between child and parent
    • Attachment can happen to animals
    • Attachment
      • People try to stay in close proximity to those they are attached to
      • They suffer from separation anxiety or distress when their attachment figure leaves their presence
      • Even when someone is independent from their attachment figure, they still make regular contact with them. E.g. visiting them regularly or returning to them whilst playing as an infant, treating them as a secure base
    • Babies and their mothers spend a long time interacting with each other
    • Reciprocity
      Mothers typically pick up and respond to the infants alertness. This develops by about three months by an interaction that is reciprocal, where each person responds to the other and elicits a response from them
    • Interactional Synchrony

      Two people are said to be synchronized where they carry out an action at the same time. It takes place in such a way where the infant and the mother mirror their actions in some way
    • Meltzoff and Moore (1977) carried an experiment on babies aged 2 weeks. An adult displayed a facial expression or a hand gesture. The child's response was filmed and an association was found between the expression or gesture the adult displayed and the action of the baby showing the development of interactional synchrony in the early stages of the babies life
    • Types of caregiver infant interactions

      • Reciprocity
      • Interactional Synchrony
    • Meltzoff and Moore (1977) provided evidence for interactional synchrony
    • Reciprocity is commonly described as being like a dance
    • Caregiver-infant interactions influence the development of attachment
    • Proud father Abdul was talking to his friend, as they were both watching Abdul's wife, Tasneem, interacting with their baby daughter, Aisha. 'It's amazing really', said Abdul. 'Tasneem smiles, Aisha smiles back. Tasneem moves her head, Aisha moves hers, perfectly in time with each other.' 'Yes', agreed the friend. 'It's almost as if they are one person.'
    • Caregiver-infant interactions

      Influence the development of attachment
    • What is meant by the term "attachment"?
    • Using the data in Table 1, explain the procedure used for the time sampling technique in this study.
    • In what percentage of the total observations was the baby gazing at his mother? Show your calculations.
    • Which one of the following types of data best describes the data collected in this study? A Primary data B Qualitative data C Secondary data D Continuous data
    • The study was an overt observation. Explain what is meant by 'overt observation'.
    • Mothers tend to use higher-pitched voices when talking to babies than they do with adults or other children.
    • Secure attachment is characterized by infants feeling distressed when separated from their caregiver but easily soothed upon their return.
    • Anxious-ambivalent attachment involves infants being anxious even when their caregiver is present and showing extreme distress upon separation.
    • Babies are able to recognize their mother's voice from birth.
    • Avoidant attachment is when infants show little distress upon separation and avoid contact or interaction with their caregiver upon their return.
    • Caregivers who are sensitive to their babies' signals tend to have children with better social skills later on.
    • Babies are more likely to look at their mothers' faces if she uses high-pitched voice.
    • Infants prefer listening to speech that has been slowed down compared to normal speed.
    • A child who hears language spoken slowly will be able to understand it better than a child who hears language spoken quickly.
    • Avoidant attachment is characterized by infants showing little distress on separation and not seeking comfort upon reunion.
    • Resistant/ambivalent attachment is characterized by infants being very upset on separation and resisting contact with the caregiver upon reunion.
    • Disorganized attachment is characterized by infants appearing confused and disoriented during reunions with their caregivers.