Caregiver-Infant Interactions

Caregiver-Infant Interactions

1. Reciprocity

   • Definition: One action causes a reaction of another action (not always the same action)
   • Basic 'rhythm' & is important in later communications
   • Interaction flows both ways between parent & baby
     • More regular the signal the easier it is for the parent to anticipate what the baby needs / means by their actions
       • This lays the foundation for later attachment

2. Interactional Synchrony

   • Definition: Child tries to initiate the communication by mimicing the parents action (always the same action)
   • Study: Meltzoff & Moore
     • Controlled observation - filmed an adult & child to see if the baby would copy the adults action
       • Findings: Babies as young as 2 - 3 weeks old mimiced certain actions
         • Shows behaviour is innate as young babies could recognise and make certain hand / facial gestures
     • + Scored tape twice: enhances reliability as they knows results are what they say they are = cause & effect statements
       • + other studies to support (Murrray and Deyoung)
     • - Infants are always moving: The actions used in research (e.g.sticking out tounge) happen regularly for infants = how do we know if they were copying the adult of just unintentionally sticking out their tounge?
       • - Unethical - Murray's study caused distress in babies when mum didn't respond
       • - child waking periods affect the studies timings
     • Supporting Studies
       • Murray
         • First Condition: 2 month old infants interacted with mum via video
           • Second Condition: Screen didn't respond to the babies actions - babies became upset when mum didn''t respond to them
             • Shows that infants actively show a response rather than just doing it whenever, proving that social releasers are innate
       • Deyoung
         • Observed infants with inanimate objets
           • Children didn't imitate the behaviour of the objects (which was opening and closing their mouth & sticking it's tounge out)
             • Shows that mimicing behaviour is a specific social response between humans
               • Also suggesting that this is how infants begin to understand how other think / feel, which is the start of a relationship