Given the dependent nature of parent-infant interactions necessary for language development, it is important to understand how context may influence these interactions. This study examines how contextual variables influence communicative, cognitive and social measures of parent-infant interactions. Specifically, how do feedback toys and…

Infants' prelinguistic vocalizations and gestures are rarely studied as a communicative system. As a result, there are few studies examining mechanisms of change concurrently in prelinguistic vocal and gesture behavior. Here we report the first evidence that contingent caregiver social feedback to infant gestures influences not only gesture…