Do children have coexisting but contradictory beliefs about things like magic? Some patterns of behavior that seem to reflect contradictory beliefs may stem from children's recognition that their knowledge about events is incomplete and therefore things may occur without them understanding how. In addition, children may hold certain beliefs that…

Examines the manipulative strategies of 2- to 6-year-olds in terms of three structural principles--hierarchical complexity, interruption and role change--which are formally parallel to dimensions of language structure. Paper includes an extensive discussion of related studies. (JMB)

Investigated the child-holding patterns represented in Western art by examining the mother-and-child paintings and drawings of 34 major European artists. Works of art depicting men holding young children are examined for comparison. (Author/SDH)

A sample of 40 babies was observed in a variety of mildly challenging situations throughout their second year and in a series of follow-up assessments at age 31/2. Findings revealed two types of avoidant mechanism--wariness of the unfamiliar and fearfulness after exposure to a mildly difficult situation. (JMB)

Facial expressions used by children defending their possession of a disputed object were studied in 72 pairs of kindergarten children. Results showed a relationship between the facial expressions a child used and both his own subsequent behavior and that of his partner. (Author/JMB)

Results show that continuous stimulation reduced arousal level both behaviorally and physiologically, that this effect occurred quite rapidly, and that it endured relatively unchanged over time. (Author)

This longitudinal study examined links between disorganization and atypical maternal behavior at 12 and 24 months in 71 adolescent mother-child dyads. Organized attachment and maternal not disrupted behavior were more stable than disorganization and disrupted behavior, respectively. At both ages, disorganization and maternal disrupted behavior…

Quantifies behavioral periodicities or cycles during face-to-face interaction between three- and five-month-old term and preterm infants and their mothers. Compares the temporal organization of social interaction between term and preterm infants. Spectral and cross-spectral techniques showed the existence of periodicities. Differences were found…

Examined consistency in behavioral state organization for 30 fetuses and neonates. Assessed heart rate pattern and presence or absence of eye and gross body movements during sleep, finding quiet sleep (QS), active sleep (AS), and indeterminate states in nearly identical proportions. Duration of enclosed QS epochs provided only stable measure of…

Results suggest that the most adaptive course of action for children may be to be responsive to environmental demands and interpersonal constraints. In the study, the patterns of compliance of 31 children of 18 months, 32 children of 24 months, and 36 children of 30 months, and their mothers and fathers were observed in five situations. (RH)