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…

Evaluated the extent to which infants' expressive modalities of face, gaze, voice, gesture, and posture form coherent affective configurations and whether these modalities are related to specific interactive contexts. Found four distinct affective configurations: social engagement, object engagement, passive withdrawal, and active protest. (MDM)

Presents a developmental study of changes in infant attachment behaviors. Five groups of female infants, 8, 11, 14, 19, and 24 months of age, were observed during varying types of separation experiences. Changes in proximity behaviors and contact behaviors were analyzed. (BD)

Using the Ainsworth Strange Situation Procedure, a study examined the interrelations between dimensions of emotion and social interactive behaviors to explore the regulatory role of each in mother-infant interaction and how these roles may change in the second year. (HOD)

Theories and descriptions of various infant fear behaviors are presented in this paper. Five examples of fear are given: (1) learned fear, in which the infant associates some unpleasant action with an agent, (2) unlearned fear, in which the infant experiences an intense sensory phenomena such as a loud noise, (3) stranger anxiety, (4) fear caused…

Studies the communication of affect between depressed mothers and their infants and its relation to infant socioemotional and cognitive development through face-to-face interaction. Findings indicate that there are correspondences between the behavior of depressed mothers and their infants. (Author/BB)

Examined continuity, stability, and change in behaviors reflecting infant reactivity and regulation. Subjects were 100 infants of 5 and 10 months old. Found that infant behaviors during frustrating situations showed both change and continuity, but the relationship between reactivity and regulation changed in that both factors became more…

The Mutual Regulatory Model is used to describe the infants' dual task of regulating simultaneously his internal emotional state and his engagement with the external environment. (Author/BB)

Observed face-to-face interactions between 39 mothers and their first and second-born two-month olds to evaluate within-family differences in maternal affective behavior toward siblings. Found that mothers were more positive with second-borns than firstborns, and second-borns were more positive than firstborns. Siblings' affective behaviors were…

Examined were differences in attachment behaviors of 14 abused and seven nonabused infants. Videotapes were taken during brief separation and reunion from their mothers and a habituated nonfamiliar figure. Ratings were made of exploration, distress, head turning, following, crying with separation, soothing, positive greeting, differential…

Papers and discussants' comments from a symposium on issues concerning infants' reactions to strangers are presented. Researchers agreed that there is a developmental shift in infant behavior at 7 to 9 months of age when the infant becomes more cautious in approaching strangers. However, investigators hypothesize that the presence of the mother,…

The Perception of Baby Temperament Scales (PBT) were used to elicit parental perceptions of infant temperament, with the results rated for internal consistency and congruence between parents. Data was obtained from 26 families, with both father and mother describing their first-born infants at five months of age. The PBT Scales deal with a range…