ATTACHMENT
http://www.psych205.com/uploads/2/6/3/0/26304200
/03_attachment_topic_essays_digital_download.pdf
,KEY TERMS
★ Reciprocity = a description of how 2 people interact. Mother-infant interaction
is reciprocal in that both infant & mother respond to each other’s signals &
each elicits a response from the other. E.g. a mother smilies and her baby
smiles back
★ Interactional synchrony = mother & infant reflect both the actions & emotions
of the other & do this in a co-ordinated [synchronised] way. E.g. a baby moves
her head in time with her mother
, CAREGIVER-INFANT INTERACTIONS - RECIPROCITY
● Babies have periodic ‘alert phases’ & signal that they’re ready for interaction
● From around 3 months this interaction tends to be increasingly frequent and involves close
attention to each other’s verbal signals & facial expressions. A key element of this interaction
is reciprocity.
● An interaction is reciprocal when each person responds to the other & elicits a
response from them
● Both mother & child can initiate interactions & they appear to take turns in doing so
● This interaction is described as a ‘dance’
, Meltzoff & Moore’s study - Interactional synchrony
● Meltzoff & Moore observed the beginnings of interactional synchrony in infants
● An adult displayed one of the 3 facial expressions or one of 3 distinctive gestures
● The child’s response was filmed & identified by independent observers
● Association found between expression or gesture the adult displayed & the
actions of the babies
http://www.psych205.com/uploads/2/6/3/0/26304200
/03_attachment_topic_essays_digital_download.pdf
,KEY TERMS
★ Reciprocity = a description of how 2 people interact. Mother-infant interaction
is reciprocal in that both infant & mother respond to each other’s signals &
each elicits a response from the other. E.g. a mother smilies and her baby
smiles back
★ Interactional synchrony = mother & infant reflect both the actions & emotions
of the other & do this in a co-ordinated [synchronised] way. E.g. a baby moves
her head in time with her mother
, CAREGIVER-INFANT INTERACTIONS - RECIPROCITY
● Babies have periodic ‘alert phases’ & signal that they’re ready for interaction
● From around 3 months this interaction tends to be increasingly frequent and involves close
attention to each other’s verbal signals & facial expressions. A key element of this interaction
is reciprocity.
● An interaction is reciprocal when each person responds to the other & elicits a
response from them
● Both mother & child can initiate interactions & they appear to take turns in doing so
● This interaction is described as a ‘dance’
, Meltzoff & Moore’s study - Interactional synchrony
● Meltzoff & Moore observed the beginnings of interactional synchrony in infants
● An adult displayed one of the 3 facial expressions or one of 3 distinctive gestures
● The child’s response was filmed & identified by independent observers
● Association found between expression or gesture the adult displayed & the
actions of the babies
