The current article proposes a new theory of infant pointing involving multiple layers of intentionality and shared intentionality. In the context of this theory, evidence is presented for a rich interpretation of prelinguistic communication, that is, one that posits that when 12-month-old infants point for an adult they are in some sense trying…

Six-year-old children were paired according to sociometric status and observed in limited-resource play situations. Their responses were coded in terms of focus on their own concerns or those of the other child. Low status dyads adopted a competitive stance more than high status dyads, who focused more on mutual benefit. (BC)