This study shows that 12-month-old infants direct more distal/affiliative behaviors to their fathers and show no preference between parents in proximal/attachment behaviors. However, with a stranger present, more proximal/attachment behaviors are directed toward the mother with no preference shown in distal/affiliative behaviors. (JMB)

To determine whether the presence of a fourth person affects triads in the same way that the presence of a third person affects dyads, data from two previous studies were reanalyzed. In the original studies a total of 60 infants 12 months of age were observed interacting with their parents in 4 social contexts: 1 parent present, 2 parents present,…

Compares the responses of 14 child abusers and a matched group of nonabusers to videotapes of crying and smiling infants. Psychophysiological and subjective self-report measures were taken. (SS)

The data indicate that fathers do interact with their infants, and that they demonstrate charactersitic styles of interaction. (Author)

Twenty infants were observed at home interacting with their mothers, fathers, and an unfamiliar investigator when they were 15, 18, 21, and 24 months of age. (Author/JMB)

Disputes claims concerning the association between strange-situation behavior around 12-20 months of age and subsequent child performance. Maintains studies have precluded causal inferences about the direction and nature of effects, finding associations only when the quality of care received was stable, thus, precluding inferences about the…

Compared everyday infant experiences among central Africa's Aka hunter-gatherers and Ngandu farmers. Found that Aka were more likely to be held, fed, and asleep or drowsy. Ngandu were more likely to be alone and to fuss or cry, smile, vocalize, or play. Crying, soothing, feeding, and sleeping declined over time for both; distal social interaction…

This paper discusses the nature of the infant social world. Infants develop attachments to both parents. Father-child and mother-child relationships are qualitatively different. They involve different types of experiences and have different implications for the child's personality development. The fathers' sex-differentiating behavior focuses the…

Twenty infants were observed interacting with their mothers and fathers at home when they were 7, 8, 12, and 13 months of age. No parental preference was found in the infants' attachment behaviors. Differences were found in the infants' affiliative behaviors, in their responses to parental play, and in situations in which they were held by…

Twenty 18-month-olds were observed interacting with their mothers and fathers in a structured laboratory setting. Assessed were affiliation and attachment behaviors when the infant was alone with either the mother or father or with both parents and when stranger entered. (Author/MS)

Findings from a study of 109 Israeli day-care providers suggest that they classify, label, and evaluate infant behavior in the Strange Situation procedure much like attachment theorists do. The relatively independent infants were viewed most positively and most providers preferred to interact with these infants. (SLD)

African American mothers' and fathers' availability, caregiving, and social behaviors toward their infants in and around their homes were examined. Twenty lower, 21 middle, and 21 upper socioeconomic families and their 3- to 4-month-old infants were observed for 4 3-hr blocks between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on 4 different weekdays. With increasing…

Twenty-four infants and their preschool-aged siblings were observed in a laboratory playroom in the presence of their parents. Observations took place when the infants were 12 months old and again 6 months later. (JMB)

Seventy 15-month-old infants were studied at home before starting child care, during adaptation (mothers present) and separation (first 9 days without mothers) phases, and 5 months later. Security of infantmother attachment was assessed before and 3 months after child care began. In the separation phase, salivary cortisol rose over the first 60…

The security of attachment between 18-month-old infants and their mothers was assessed in the Ainsworth strange situation (SS). Infant dyads created according to their SS classification were observed in unstructured peer interaction. Results indicated a relationship between quality of infant-mother attachment and infant peer competence. (JMB)