Caregiver-Infant Interactions

Created by: lauren.glendenning
Created on: 01-04-17 11:51


	Caregiver-Infant Interactions
	Advantages The Value of Research - Imitative behaviour forms the basis for social development. The research explains how children begin to understand what others think and feel, and therefore are able to conduct relationships. Another method used to test the intentionality of infant behaviour is to observe how they respond to inanimate objects. Abravenal and DeYoung observed infant behaviour when interacting with 'two' objects, one stimulating tongue movements and the other mouth opening/closing. They found that infants of a median age of 5-12 weeks made little response to the objects. They concluded that this shows infants don't just imitate anything they see - it's a specific social response to humans.	Disadvantages Problems with testing infant behaviour - Infants' mouths are in constant motion so it is hard to tell whether they are imitating a behaviour or just moving their mouths. Failure to replicate - Many have tried to replicate the findings of Meltzoff's study and failed. Marian et al replicated the study and found that infants couldn't distinguish live from videotaped interactions with their mothers. This suggests infants aren't actually responding to the adult. Individual Differences - Isabella et al found that more strongly attached infant-caregiver pairs showed greater interactional synchrony. Heinmen showed that infants who demonstrate a lot of imitation from birth onwards have been found to have a better quality of relationship at three months.
	Evaluation To overcome the problems with testing infant behaviour Meltzoff and Moore measured infant responses by filming infants and then asking an observer to judge the infants' behaviour from the video. The judge has no idea what behaviour was being imitated, which increased the validity of the data.Also Meltzoff proposed a 'like me' hypothesis of infant development based on his research on interactional synchrony. He proposes that there is a connection between what the infant sees and their imitation of this. He also says infants associate their own acts and own underlying mental states. Third, infants project their own internal experiences onto others performing similar acts. As a result, infants begin to acquire an understanding of what people are feeling and thinking. Such an understanding related to what is called a 'Theory of Mind' (understanding the mental states of other people). This is fundamental for conducting social relationships.

Caregiver-Infant Interactions

Advantages

The Value of Research - Imitative behaviour forms the basis for social development. The research explains how children begin to understand what others think and feel, and therefore are able to conduct relationships.
Another method used to test the intentionality of infant behaviour is to observe how they respond to inanimate objects. Abravenal and DeYoung observed infant behaviour when interacting with 'two' objects, one stimulating tongue movements and the other mouth opening/closing. They found that infants of a median age of 5-12 weeks made little response to the objects. They concluded that this shows infants don't just imitate anything they see - it's a specific social response to humans.

Disadvantages

Problems with testing infant behaviour - Infants' mouths are in constant motion so it is hard to tell whether they are imitating a behaviour or just moving their mouths.
Failure to replicate - Many have tried to replicate the findings of Meltzoff's study and failed. Marian et al replicated the study and found that infants couldn't distinguish live from videotaped interactions with their mothers. This suggests infants aren't actually responding to the adult.
Individual Differences - Isabella et al found that more strongly attached infant-caregiver pairs showed greater interactional synchrony. Heinmen showed that infants who demonstrate a lot of imitation from birth onwards have been found to have a better quality of relationship at three months.

Evaluation

To overcome the problems with testing infant behaviour Meltzoff and Moore measured infant responses by filming infants and then asking an observer to judge the infants' behaviour from the video. The judge has no idea what behaviour was being imitated, which increased the validity of the data.Also Meltzoff proposed a 'like me' hypothesis of infant development based on his research on interactional synchrony. He proposes that there is a connection between what the infant sees and their imitation of this. He also says infants associate their own acts and own underlying mental states. Third, infants project their own internal experiences onto others performing similar acts. As a result, infants begin to acquire an understanding of what people are feeling and thinking. Such an understanding related to what is called a 'Theory of Mind' (understanding the mental states of other people). This is fundamental for conducting social relationships.

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Caregiver-Infant Interactions