The meaning, mechanism, and function of imitation in early infancy have been actively discussed since Meltzoff and Moore's (1977) report of facial and manual imitation by human neonates. Oostenbroek et al. (2016) claim to challenge the existence of early imitation and to counter all interpretations so far offered. Such claims, if true, would have…

Objective: To examine the underlying mechanisms of adults' intended caregiving responses to cry sounds in a behavioral genetic design and to investigate the role of cry pitch and perceived urgency in sensitive and harsh caregiving responses. Methods: The sample consisted of 184 adult twin pairs (18-69 years), including males and females, parents…

Focuses on the experimental designs and methodology of 15 studies, most of which used only part of the methodology for the experimental analysis of behavior. Argues that the failure to fully use available research technology may have contributed to researchers' failure to make experimental contact with the definition of reinforcement. (RH)

A total of 80 infants who were 7 months old were asked to discriminate happy and surprised expressions based on compound or component changes in the eyes, mouth, or entire face. Four stimuli were employed: black and white photographs of a Caucasian female modeling happy and surprised expressions, and two hybrid expressions created by transposing…

In three experiments, it was demonstrated that human newborn heart rate level can be reliably modified through classical conditioning procedures. Findings support the idea that early learning may occur under a variety of conditions and different theories may account for the results. (Author/SB)

The present investigation was designed to compare the behavior of 6- and 9-month-old infants; visual as well as manipulative responses were recorded. (Author/RK)

Reports on research conducted to asses the utility of physiological responses for both the prediction of individual differences in attentional capacity and the monitoring of developmental changes in attentional responsivity. Specifically the experiments assessed: (1) Heart rate variability and newborn heart rate responses to illumination changes,…

This paper describes a series of longitudinal experiments which dealt with the development of object awareness in infants, ages 6-18 months. The experiments were designed to document and evaluate Piaget's account of this development. The studies focused on two types of phenomena: (1) when infants first find an object hidden in one place, they will…

Human infants are sensitive from birth to some intrinsic properties of objects; they are also sensitive to position. During the first weeks of life, pertinent dimensions of differentiation between objects are relative to global properties of the entire object or pattern. Position is defined by the direction of a displacement: the trajectory…

Developmental psychologist Ainsworth discusses early influences on her work in attachment theory; similarities and differences in attachment behaviors across cultures; construction of assessments and research designs; individual differences in attachment and maternal support; and the influence of early relationships on later ones. (HTH)

An aim of many students of human development is to penetrate behavioral variability in such a way as to reveal stable phenomena. This broad aim is challenged on numerous fronts when researchers study infant behavior, for students of infants are everywhere confronted with variability. But, in the context of research, variability of subjects'…

The New Orleans Parent Child Development Center Intervention Model hypothesizes a series of effects: the Child Development and Family Life Educators impart curricula designed to change mother's attitudes and behavior toward her child in ways which should encourage the development of competence in the child. The two single most important types of…

Conference papers and discussions presented in this volume reflect recent research results that suggest the human infant is not a tabula rasa but an organism endowed at birth with an array of capabilities. Contents focus on several issues, including the possibility that infants have a rich affective life from their earliest days and that even…