Attachment: caregiver-infant interactions
Firstly, quality of interactions with caregivers affects development of attachments. There are
two types of interaction: reciprocity (taking turns to respond) and interactional synchrony
(simultaneous imitation).
Reciprocity is when the baby and the caregiver respond to elicit responses from each other,
for example the caregiver responding to a baby’s smile by saying something, and a baby
responds by making sounds of pleasure. Mother’s successfully respond around 2/3 of the
time. After three months interaction becomes more intense and reciprocal. Traditionally
babies were thought to have a passive role where they just receive care from the adult,
however, nowadays, babies are seen as active participants. Both the baby and the caregiver
can initiate interactions and take turns to do so.
Interactional synchrony is when the same actions are carried out simultaneously, for
example the caregiver and the baby mirror each other’s behaviour. IN the beginning of
interactional synchrony, Meltzoff and Moore observed interaction synchrony in two-week-
old + babies. Adults did one of three facial expressions or one of three gestures, and the
babies response was filmed. The babies’ expressions and gestures were more likely to
mirror adults.
Isabella looked into the importance for attachment. She observed 30 mothers and babies
together and assessed degree of synchrony. She also assessed the quality of attachment.
Overall, she found that high levels of synchrony were associated with high quality
attachment, for example the emotional intensity of a relationship.
One strength of research into caregiver-infant interactions is that filmed observation were
used for these studies and they were usually from multiple angles. This means that fine
details can be recorded and analysed alter. The babies don’t know they are being observed
and so their behaviour does not change. This means that there is good reliability and
validity.
However, on the other hand, one limitation of research into caregiver-infant interaction is
that there was difficulty in observing babies. Babies are not very coordinated, and the
researchers may have just simply been observing small gestures and changes in expression.
This means we cannot be certain interactions are meaningful.
Finally, another limitation is that there is difficulty inferring development importance.
Feldman points out that synchrony and reciprocity just simply describe behaviours that
occur at the same time. Robust phenomena means that these behaviours can be reliably
observed but they may not be useful and observing and naming these behaviours doesn’t
necessarily tell us their purpose, therefore while these behaviours are reliable and valid,
they may not be important in development.
Firstly, quality of interactions with caregivers affects development of attachments. There are
two types of interaction: reciprocity (taking turns to respond) and interactional synchrony
(simultaneous imitation).
Reciprocity is when the baby and the caregiver respond to elicit responses from each other,
for example the caregiver responding to a baby’s smile by saying something, and a baby
responds by making sounds of pleasure. Mother’s successfully respond around 2/3 of the
time. After three months interaction becomes more intense and reciprocal. Traditionally
babies were thought to have a passive role where they just receive care from the adult,
however, nowadays, babies are seen as active participants. Both the baby and the caregiver
can initiate interactions and take turns to do so.
Interactional synchrony is when the same actions are carried out simultaneously, for
example the caregiver and the baby mirror each other’s behaviour. IN the beginning of
interactional synchrony, Meltzoff and Moore observed interaction synchrony in two-week-
old + babies. Adults did one of three facial expressions or one of three gestures, and the
babies response was filmed. The babies’ expressions and gestures were more likely to
mirror adults.
Isabella looked into the importance for attachment. She observed 30 mothers and babies
together and assessed degree of synchrony. She also assessed the quality of attachment.
Overall, she found that high levels of synchrony were associated with high quality
attachment, for example the emotional intensity of a relationship.
One strength of research into caregiver-infant interactions is that filmed observation were
used for these studies and they were usually from multiple angles. This means that fine
details can be recorded and analysed alter. The babies don’t know they are being observed
and so their behaviour does not change. This means that there is good reliability and
validity.
However, on the other hand, one limitation of research into caregiver-infant interaction is
that there was difficulty in observing babies. Babies are not very coordinated, and the
researchers may have just simply been observing small gestures and changes in expression.
This means we cannot be certain interactions are meaningful.
Finally, another limitation is that there is difficulty inferring development importance.
Feldman points out that synchrony and reciprocity just simply describe behaviours that
occur at the same time. Robust phenomena means that these behaviours can be reliably
observed but they may not be useful and observing and naming these behaviours doesn’t
necessarily tell us their purpose, therefore while these behaviours are reliable and valid,
they may not be important in development.
