Caregiver Infant Interaction

Caregiver Infant Interaction

1. Reciprocity

   • The behaviour of each party elicits a response from the other
   • Serves to reinforce the attachment bond
   • Interaction is a two-way, mutual process.
   • Infant and caregiver will take it in turns to respond to each other's signals to sustain the interaction

2. Interactional Synchrony

   • Also serves to reinforce the attachment bond
   • Adults and infants respond in time to sustain communications
   • The adult and infant reflect/mirror the actions of each other in a synchronised way (appearing as 'one person')

3. Stages of Attachment

   • Discriminate attachment (7-8 month onward)
     • Infants develop specific attachments staying close to a primary attachment figure and becoming distressed when separated from them. They protest when handled by strangers
   • Multiple attachments (9 months onward)
     • Infants form attachments with other people e.g. grandparents or siblings. Fear of strangers weakens but attachment remains strongest to the mother-figure
   • Indiscriminate attachment (3 to 7/8 months)
     • Infants start to discriminate between familiar and people - smiling more at known people. They will allow strangers to look after them
   • Pre-attachment (Birth to 3 months)
     • From 6 weeks infants become more attracted to humans preferring them to objects and events. Preference is demonstrated by smiling at people's faces.
   • Findings
     • Most babies developed multiple attachments: at 18 months, 87% of babies had 2 attachments, 31% had 5 or more
     • Primary attachments were formed with the people who displayed responsive sensitivity to the baby's needs, not necessarily the person who fed/changed the infant
   • Evaluation
     • Practical issues: Babies sleep for long periods of time or are often fed when very young
       • More observation periods, but shorter time
     • The unnatural environment may affect behaviour
       • Research should take place in a natural setting like the childs home to increase the validity
     • Babies can't communicate so inferences from behaviour must be drawn, may lead to observer bias
       • Use more than one observer and compare interpretations therefore seeing whether they all have the same conclusions about the experiment
     • Issue of intentionality - are imitative behaviours deliberate of conscious?
       • Very difficult/impossible to address the issue as there is no way of testing their behaviours