Caregiver-Infant Interaction

Explain Reciprocity

Explain Interactional Synchrony

Describe research conducted by Meltzoff and Moore

-observation on young babies even 2 weeks old

-adults displayed 3 facial expressions, 1 hand gesture and child's response was filmed + identified by 2 independent observers

-each observer scored tapes twice so inter-observer reliability was calculated to be 0.92

-association found between expression given by adult and babies actions

-research used to show existence of reciprocity from very young age showing it's an innate characteristic

Describe research conducted by Isabella et al

-observed mother-infant interactions at 3 and 9 month

-12 months assessed quality using strange situation

-found good interactional synchrony lead to secure attachments

-minimally involved mothers or over stimulating mothers lead to insecure attachment

Evaluate strength of caregiver-infant interactions

-most research uses controlled observations

-reactions of babies were filmed from multiple angles, recorded and independent researchers observing it

-ensures fine detail being recorded + can watch later multiple times

-shows that findings are valid and gives faith in concept of reciprocity with high inter-rater reliability of 0.92

Evaluate the replicability of research

-Meltzoff and Moore study has issue with replicability

-Koepke et al failed to replicate findings as there wasn't a clear association between children and adults

-Marian et al also found infants couldn't tell apart live and videotaped interactions with mums showing they weren't responding to adult

-failed to replicate = lacks reliability and limited usefulness in explaining caregiver-infant interactions

Evaluate social sensitivity of research

-research said to be socially sensitive

-IS suggests for strong and secure attachments mothers needs to be present with child since birth to develop sensitive responsiveness

-mothers who have to go back to work unable to achieve interactional synchrony

-suggests that working mothers don't develop strong attachments with their children