AO3

• Caregiver-Infant Interactions: Evaluation Points

  • Meltzoff & Moore's research: weakness
  • Meltzoff & Moore's research: Replication; supporting/contradictory research
  • Methodology
  • Supporting research
• Caregiver-Infant Interactions: Meltzoff & Moore weakness

  Meltzoff and Moore's research can be considered to be unreliable as it is based on infants as young as 2/3 weeks old. Infants pull 'funny faces' all the time which can be confused as imitation. This makes it difficult to distinguish between normal behaviour and imitation. We cannot conclude whether the results show caregiver-infant interactions, or whether it is just normal behaviour. This limits the validity of their research and therefore further research is required.
• Caregiver-Infant Interactions: Replication strength

  Meltzoff and Moore replicated their own study years later but with infants as young as 2/3 days old. They found similar results and the same level of imitation which they found in their initial research, which indicates that the behaviour is innate. This supports their initial research findings and its validity, showing that caregiver-infant interactions are innate and help to develop attachment.
• Caregiver-Infant Interactions: Replication contradictory

  Koepke et al replicated Meltzoff & Moore's study but had different findings. This questions the validity of their initial results and replicated results. This further emphasises the need for further research, specifically research conducted by psychologists outside of the initial research.
• Caregiver-Infant Interactions: Methodology

  Meltzoff and Moore's research was filmed, which creates high internal validity and reliability. This also allows it to be replicated easily, further increasing the validity of the results. Their research was also conducted as a lab experiment in a controlled environment, meaning that there was high control over extraneous variables. This creates high reliability and internal validity.
• Caregiver-Infant Interactions: Supporting Research

  There is research support for both types of caregiver infant interactions. Brazelton observed caregiver-infant interactions and found reciprocity. Meltzoff and Moore also observed these interactions and found that infants imitate facial and hand gestures as well as forming attachments. This shows real life application of caregiver-infant interactions.