Profile
International Journal of Psychology & Behavior Analysis Volume 1 (2015), Article ID 1:IJPBA-101, 7 pages
http://dx.doi.org/10.15344/2455-3867/2015/101
Research Article
Exploring Emotional `Dialogues' in Spontaneous Twin Infant-Mother Interaction

Maria Markodimitraki1 and Theano Kokkinaki2*

1Department of Preschool Education, University of Crete, Rethymnon, 74 100 Gallos, Greece
2Department of Psychology, University of Crete, Rethymnon, 74 100 Gallos, Greece
Dr. Theano Kokkinaki, Department of Psychology, University of Crete, Rethymnon, 74 100 Gallos, Greece, Tel:++30-8310-77536; Fax: ++30-8310-77578; E-mail: kokkinaki@uoc.grs
28 June 2014; 25 October 2014; 04 January 2015
Markodimitraki M, Kokkinaki T (2015) Exploring Emotional `Dialogues' in Spontaneous Twin Infant-mother Interaction. Int J Psychol Behav Anal 1: 101. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.15344/2455-3867/2015/101

Abstract

Background: This study investigated emotional coordination and mismatching in spontaneous twin infant-mother interaction.
Methods: Six twin infant-mother dyads were video-recorded during naturalistic interactions from the 2nd to the 6th month.
Results: a) Emotional coordination (matching of the type of facial expression of emotion, completement of the positive valence of facial expression of emotion and attunement in the shifts of emotional intensity direction) along with mismatching of the type of facial expression of emotion takes place in twin infantmother interactions. Emotional matching and mismatching occur at similar rates, b) Infants cause mismatching more than mothers do; and c) Infant age did not affect the developmental trajectories of emotional coordination and mismatching.
Conclusion: This study extends empirically the theory of innate intersubjectivity to twin infant-mother interaction and provided evidence that mothers and twin infants adjust the timing, form and energy of their emotions to obtain inter-subjective coordination and inter-motive adjustments.