Responsivity to graded tactile stimuli was examined in human newborns in successive epochs of active and quiet sleep. Heart rate and behavior were both used as response indices. (Author/SS)

Presents a descriptive analysis of infant-adult face-to-face interaction, as well as the data for analyses of the relations between the two partners and the contribution of each one during the interaction. Subjects were five infants (aged 80-92 days) and their mothers. (MP)

Examines early differences in mother-infant interaction as a function of infant birth order and birth spacing. Mother and infant behaviors were observed and recorded in the home for a two-hour period. (SS)

Three experiments investigated four-month-old infants' capacity to perceive bimodally specified events by detecting the temporal synchrony of sound bursts with the visable impacts of surfaces. (Author/SS)

Reviews observational research on infant wariness of strangers. (CM)

Investigates the effect of a recorded male human voice on neonate head, eye, mouth and crying behaviors. Vocal Stimulation enhanced head movement, eye opening, mouthing and crying and influenced hand sucking. Differences between breast fed and bottle fed babies were found for mouth orientation, hand sucking and crying. (RH)

A sample of eight 19-month-old toddlers were observed during free play at home, with and without a familiar toddler playmate. With the peer present, there was significantly more high-level play with toys and less low-level play with toys than with the peer absent. (Author/JH)

Two experiments examined the effects of changes in adult eye direction during both televised and live contingent interaction with infants 3 to 6 months of age. Infants' smiling declined whenever adults looked away, supporting the hypothesis that infants express their cognitive appreciation of the adults' eye direction by their affective behavior.…

Three studies examined the tongue protrusion (TP) behaviors of young infants in response to visual stimuli. Infants produced TPs in response to objects within reach before but not after the onset of reaching behavior. The results suggest that infants' TPs in response to a tongue-protruding adult reflect very early attempts at oral exploration of…

Used signal detection methodology to examine how cognitive set affects mothers' response to crying by "difficult" and "easy" infants. Found that increased mothers' sensitivity was associated with the "difficult" infant cognitive set and that mothers with high illusory control were least sensitive in detecting…

Examines nine studies claiming to have demonstrated facial imitation in the neonatal period. Finds that the claims of early imitative abilities are not well founded: because the matching behavior found is restricted to a single gesture--tongue protrusion--it is best explained as a specific, directly elicited response, rather than imitation. (HTH)

Examined effects on duration of gaze of infant- and adult-directed (ID and AD) speech signalling presentation of adult faces. Found that, when ID speech segments signaled presentation of a smiling, sad, fearful, or angry face, significant and comparable conditioning occurred with the smiling and sad faces, whereas nonsignificant and more variable…

Conducted spectrum analysis of standard and vociferous cries from infants with Wessel's colic, non-Wessel's colic, and comparison infants. Vociferous cries had longer duration, higher fundamental frequency, and greater percentage of dysphonation than standard cries. After feedings, problematic criers had greater percentage of dysphonation in…

Used a habituation-dishabituation procedure to test ability of 4-, 5-, and 7-month-olds to differentiate between a subjective ellipse and a nonsubjective pattern that were constructed by displacing the inducing elements of the illusory figure. Found that even 4-month-olds discriminated between the subjective ellipse and nonillusory display. This…

Discusses the social development of infants in terms of a set of tasks which include identity, culturation, and reproduction. Focuses on the task of identity, the role of self-awareness in relationships, and the relationship between identity and emotional life. (RJC)