Key Study: Meltzoff and Moore (1977)

AIM: The aim was to investigate interactional synchrony in infants.

METHOD: The method used was a controlled observation where an adult model displayed one of three facial expressions or a hand gesture. Initially, a dummy was placed in the infant's mouth to prevent any facial response. Following the display by the adult model, the dummy was removed, and the infant's facial expressions were filmed.

RESULTS: The results showed a clear association between the infants' behaviour and that of the adult model. Subsequent research by Meltzoff and Moore (1983) replicated these findings in three-day-old infants.

CONCLUSION:These findings suggest that interactional synchrony is an innate behaviour and challenge claims that imitative behaviour is solely learned.