What is caregiver sensitivity and how has it been assessed? In formulating your response,

consider the conceptual and methodological contributions of Ainsworth and Pederson.

What will be an ideal response?

Caregiver sensitivity is the parent's ability to respond appropriately to the emotional
signals of the infant. According to Ainsworth, caregiver sensitivity encompasses: 1.
awareness of infant emotional signals; 2. accurate interpretation of the signals; 3.
appropriate response to the signals; and, 4. prompt response to the signals. To assess
the construct, Ainsworth originally developed 9-point rating scales anchored by
lengthy paragraphs for the coder to consider after observing the parent. Because it takes
considerable training to master such coding schemes, Pederson developed the Maternal
Behavior Q-set, a card sorting method in which the rater, after observing the parent,
sorts cards into different piles that represent the frequency or applicability of the
individual behaviors to the parent. The q-set has been deemed valid, in the sense that
mothers that are rated as highly sensitive have infants that have stronger emotional
development than mothers rated as insensitive.