Caregiver-infant interactions

Caregiver-infant interactions

1. Reciprocity: each person responding to each other.

2. Interactional synchrony: mirroring each other.

3. Negative Evaluation: it is hard to know what is happening when observing infant(behaviours may not have a special meaning -don't know child's p.o.v) observations do not tell us the purpose of synchrony and reciprocity (however there is some evidence that it is useful in the development of attachment,empathy,language etc) Research into interactions is socially sensitive (suggests children may be disadvantaged by returning to work etc)

4. Positive Evaluation: Research uses well controlled procedures -filmed from different angles so can be looked at again-kids don't know they are being observed.

5. Role of the father: 75% of infants formed attachment with father by 18 months-fathers have more of a role of play and stimulation --some evidence that if the man is the primary caregiver they adopt behaviours of more typical mothers(spend more time smiling/imitating/holding hands) --key to attachment is level of responsiveness not gender.

   • Negative Evaluation: evidence undermines the idea of the father having a distinct role(studies on same sex couples found no difference in development so fathers role as a secondary attachment is not important)--research fails to provide a clear answer about fathers and primary attachments (not sure whether it is down to gender roles so men believe they should not act nurturing or it could be due to not being as biologically predisposed in hormones)-- social biases prevent objective observation (preconceptions how fathers behave may cause unintentional observer bias where they see what they expect)
     • Positive Evaluation: research has important economic implications -mothers feel pressure to stay at home to help emotional dev. but this may not be the best economic solution.