This paper presents arguments for greater use of sophisticated research strategies and statistical analyses of data in dealing with the real-life complexity of social interaction. Three possible procedures are proposed and illustrated in a study of interactions between mothers and their 8- to 18-month-old children. The first strategy is to…

Reviews and critiques research that has assessed the effect of infant temperament on caregiver behaviors and concludes that the relationship between temperament and caregiving behavior has not been adequately tested. Offers conceptual and methodological guidelines for future research. (HOD)

Research on family interaction patterns suggests that delinquent behaviors of children and adolescents may be related to, if not a direct function of, disordered interpersonal interaction within the family unit. Family interaction can be seen as a sequence of interlocking events occurring over time and consisting of the three basic characteristics…

The methodology discussed is used in ongoing research to contrast the effectiveness of several patterns of parental authority with the same children at different ages. The first characteristic of these methods is the use of trait and behavior ratings to assess dispositional tendencies. The construct of a dispositional trait is used to account for…

Reviews results of research related to the control system model of how parents and children regulate each other's behavior. Confirmed early formulations that postulated individual differences in children's assertiveness, activity, and person orientation as explanations for differences in parents' child-rearing techniques. (HOD)

Both mother and teacher are social agents in the child's environment and provide the foci for the two separate, but related, ongoing studies on reinforcement patterns described in this paper. The specimen record is the primary method used to obtain data. For the study of children at home, the sample includes 24 3-year-old children from lower…

This paper describes five experimental studies which explored the influence of fathers' home caregiving and interactional characteristics on their infant's laboratory behavior. Approximately 300 families with children ranging in age from 6 to 24 months were studied. Each infant's reactions were observed as a function of the manipulation of the…

Characteristics such as prematurity, illegitimacy, handicaps, or behavior deviations have been found with high frequency in abused children. Aggressive/coercive behavior may be typical of child rearing techniques in abusing families who tend to be socially isolated and experience environmental stress. Investigators must interpret such factors with…

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,…

A study involving 1,146 families with children between 3 and 17 years old was conducted to assess the extent and cause of violence and aggression on children by their parents. Research regarding incidence, modes, and patterns of child abuse was reviewed and problems with various methods of data collection were examined. A household interview…

This study details three methods developed during the course of an investigation for describing adult-child interaction: (1) the "VINEX" category system for coding the actual language of the adult and the child; (2) a coding system for describing nonverbal behavior; and, (3) "Interaction Language," for the use of an observer in…