Holding the Baby: Using the Leiden Infant Simulator Sensitivity Assessment to Examine Attachment Theory’s Sensitivity Hypothesis

Abstract

Some students taking infant development classes have limited, direct experience of interacting with infants. This paper reports on a pilot of an innovative, research-informed workshop that provides hands-on experience through the use of infant simulators. The workshop adapted the Leiden Infant Sensitivity Simulator Assessment, which uses the RealCare Baby © infant simulator, to examine attachment theory’s sensitivity hypothesis. Students’ ratings indicated that an infant simulator activity was helpful in understanding the research and encouraged critical thinking about the research, hypothesis, and attachment theory in general. Moreover, the infant simulator activity was as helpful as a multiple-choice question activity for promoting understanding of the research. The workshop encouraged higher level thinking about the research, hypothesis, and theory in general, and there was no difference in the extent to which the infant simulator activity and a plan-a-study activity encouraged critical thinking. The findings of this pilot suggest that infant simulators can be successfully embedded into and serve as an effective tool for teaching about theoretical concepts surrounding infant–caregiver interaction.