Attachment is a strong, emotional and reciprocal bond between two people, especially
an infant and caregiver.
Outline and Evaluate Care-giver infant interactions
Interactional Synchrony
Both reciprocity and interactional synchrony are the
early social connections btween infants and
caregivers, crucial for building the foundations for
later attachments.
A01 - Definition, Feldman (2007), Meltzoff & Moore, Isabella and Belsky
● Interactional synchrony refers to how a parent’s speech and infant’s
behaviour become finely synchronised and mirrored so that they are
coordinated and in direct response to one another.
● It was defined by Feldman (2007) “symbolic exchanges between parent
and child”.
● Foundational Research into interactional synchrony was investigated
through a correlational study conducted by Meltzoff and Moore (1977).
● They conducted controlled, observational research on 18 infants
assisted by an Adult Model, who were instructed to present one okkk of
three expressions/ hand movements to the infant: Lip protrusion,
Tongue protrusion and mouth opening.
● They found that there was an association between the infants behaviour
and the adult model as infants as young as 2/3 weeks would imitate the
specific facial and hand gestures.
● Overall, research into interactional synchrony can help to certify
theories of Care giver infant interactions and can illustrate imitation
between parents and their infants.
● This suggests imitation is an innate ability rather than a learned
behaviour as the infants were only days old.
, P - A strength of interactional synchrony, is that foundational research has ensured high control.
E - For instance, in Meltzoff and Moore's (1977) correlation research on 18 infants, observations of the model and
infant interactions were filmed from multiple angles.
E - This is advantageous as this ensured that very fine details of behaviour were recorded and later analysed to
ensure high internal validity of the coding. Furthermore, babies did not understand that they were being observed
so their behaviour did not change in response to being observed which is normally a problem for observational
research. This means that they could isolate behaviours of synchrony rather than something else.
L - Therefore, the research findings from this study have high internal validity, which could suggest we may be able
to use interactional synchrony as the basis of understanding early social connection.
AO3: (-) Observer Bias
P – Meltzoff and Moore’s findings should be treated with caution due to the
possibility of Observer bias affecting his results.
E – For Instance, Recent research from Koepka et al (1983), failed to
replicate the findings of Meltzoff and Moore’s investigation.
E – This is a weakness as a lack of research support suggests that Observer
bias may have affected the findings as it could be the reason why they were
unable to be replicated. As such, this poses a threat to the internal validity
of his research study on interactional synchrony.
L – Therefore, more research is required to be able to validate the findings
of Meltzoff and Moore’s study. Although it may be concerning already that
foundational research cannot provide valid research to exemplify care giver
an infant and caregiver.
Outline and Evaluate Care-giver infant interactions
Interactional Synchrony
Both reciprocity and interactional synchrony are the
early social connections btween infants and
caregivers, crucial for building the foundations for
later attachments.
A01 - Definition, Feldman (2007), Meltzoff & Moore, Isabella and Belsky
● Interactional synchrony refers to how a parent’s speech and infant’s
behaviour become finely synchronised and mirrored so that they are
coordinated and in direct response to one another.
● It was defined by Feldman (2007) “symbolic exchanges between parent
and child”.
● Foundational Research into interactional synchrony was investigated
through a correlational study conducted by Meltzoff and Moore (1977).
● They conducted controlled, observational research on 18 infants
assisted by an Adult Model, who were instructed to present one okkk of
three expressions/ hand movements to the infant: Lip protrusion,
Tongue protrusion and mouth opening.
● They found that there was an association between the infants behaviour
and the adult model as infants as young as 2/3 weeks would imitate the
specific facial and hand gestures.
● Overall, research into interactional synchrony can help to certify
theories of Care giver infant interactions and can illustrate imitation
between parents and their infants.
● This suggests imitation is an innate ability rather than a learned
behaviour as the infants were only days old.
, P - A strength of interactional synchrony, is that foundational research has ensured high control.
E - For instance, in Meltzoff and Moore's (1977) correlation research on 18 infants, observations of the model and
infant interactions were filmed from multiple angles.
E - This is advantageous as this ensured that very fine details of behaviour were recorded and later analysed to
ensure high internal validity of the coding. Furthermore, babies did not understand that they were being observed
so their behaviour did not change in response to being observed which is normally a problem for observational
research. This means that they could isolate behaviours of synchrony rather than something else.
L - Therefore, the research findings from this study have high internal validity, which could suggest we may be able
to use interactional synchrony as the basis of understanding early social connection.
AO3: (-) Observer Bias
P – Meltzoff and Moore’s findings should be treated with caution due to the
possibility of Observer bias affecting his results.
E – For Instance, Recent research from Koepka et al (1983), failed to
replicate the findings of Meltzoff and Moore’s investigation.
E – This is a weakness as a lack of research support suggests that Observer
bias may have affected the findings as it could be the reason why they were
unable to be replicated. As such, this poses a threat to the internal validity
of his research study on interactional synchrony.
L – Therefore, more research is required to be able to validate the findings
of Meltzoff and Moore’s study. Although it may be concerning already that
foundational research cannot provide valid research to exemplify care giver
