CAREGIVER-INFANT INTERACTIONS

CAREGIVER-INFANT INTERACTIONS

1. RECIPROCITY

   • Jeffi et al - demonstrated that infants coordinate their actions with caregivers in a kind of conversation and they move in a rhythm
   • Reciprocity- responding to the actions of another with a similar action, where one partner elicits a response from the other person. the response is not always similar as it is in interactional synchrony
   • Brazelton- suggested that basic rhythm is important in later communications

2. INTERACTIONAL SYNCHRONY

   • INTERACTIONAL SYNCHRONY- When two people interact they tend to mirror what the other is doing in terms of facial and body movements. this includes imitating behaviours. this is described as synchrony- when two (or more) things move in the same pattern
   • Meltzoff and Moore- two experiments - 1) on infants of 2-3 weeks old- found that an association was made between the infant behaviour and that of the adult model 2) on infants 3 days old- found that behavioural response is innat
   • Meltzoff and Moore ---> Observational research---- (- mouth opening - termination of mouth opening -tongue protrusion - termination of tongue protrusion

3. EVALUATION

   • PROBLEMS WITH TESTING INFANT BEHAVIOUR-
     • UNRELIABLE- because it's hard to distinguish between general activity and specific imitated behaviours
     • M&M OVERCAME THIS- by filming behaviour, asking observer to judge, observe- didn't know imitated behaviour
   • FAILURE TO REPLICATE STUDIES
     • KOEPKE ET AL- replicated M&M's study, failed. M&M counterargued that it was because they study was less carefully controlled due to factors affecting it
     • MARIAN ET AL- replicated Murray and Treverthan, infants aren't responding to adult as they cant distinguish live from videotaped actions, marian said- problem= procedure and not infants ability to imitatr caregivers