Labels for toys were taught to 64 infants. In follow-in labeling, the experimenter labeled a toy at which infants were looking; in discrepant labeling, one at which they were not looking. Results revealed that infants learned follow-in labels and made no mapping errors after discrepant labeling. (BC)

Infants averaging 5 weeks and 12 weeks of age were presented with object models and a live model to determine whether infants reliably responded to the models with movement-matching facial gestures. Object models produced no reliable elicitation of gestures, but the live model increased the incidence of gestures among infants of five weeks. (SH)

In one experiment, most four to eight year olds overattributed knowledge to a preverbal baby who heard an informative message. In a second experiment, six and eight year olds acknowledged differences in babies' and adults' interpretations of a message that was not obviously informative. (BC)

Compared 30 Japanese and 30 American mothers' speech to their 6-, 12-, or 19-month-old infants. Mothers of both cultures used linguistic simplification and repetition. American mothers labeled objects more frequently than did Japanese mothers, whereas Japanese mothers used objects to engage infants in social routines more often than did American…

Three experiments examined peer imitation with 14- to 18-month-old infants in laboratory, home, and day-care settings. After a delay, infants imitated actions performed by trained peers. Found that infants' recall of peers' actions was lower for infants imitating actions at home after a two-day delay than for infants imitating actions in the…

Compared quality of substitute care being provided to children in care of relatives (n=31) by reason of their mothers' incarceration, with care provided by foster parents (n=9). Quality of care from foster families was rated significantly better than care from relatives for 3- to 6-year old children, but equal for infants and toddlers. (Author/NB)

Interaction between lexical acquisition and acquisition of initial voiceless stops (VSs) was studied in two normally developing children by acoustically examining token-by-token accuracy of initial VS targets in different lexical items. Tokens representing the emergence of accurate VS production were restricted to certain words, largely old words…

Interview and written testimony from over 300 mothers and fathers who had experienced a stillbirth suggest themes common to these bereaved families: shock, blame, guilt and hardship; desperate need to remember; utility of autopsies and funerals; irrational and terrifying thoughts; need for support systems; issues surrounding surviving siblings and…

Examined observed father-infant interaction and reports of parental responsibility during infancy in 54 dual-earner and 65 single-earner families. Results indicated that personality characteristics of the father were important in predicting father's responsibility for child care in single-earner families, not in dual-earner families. Contextual…

Examined parental leave-taking behaviors and attitudes of 550 men whose wives/partners were pregnant. Fathers' mean length of leave time was five days; 91% of fathers took some leave. Employer's policy regarding length of leave was significant predictor of length of leave taken. Fathers holding egalitarian sex role attitudes and high in family…

Argues that the developmental origins of actions are actions themselves and that a future-oriented mode of control is basic to movement at all ages. Suggests that, through active movement, children learn about changing and invariant properties of movement and about coordination with the external world. This learning constitutes the foundation of…

Comments on the article by von Hofsten in this issue by examining four of von Hofsten's propositions: (1) physical actions are expressions of self-organizing systems composed of bodily, task-related, motivational, and environmental factors; (2) the ability to perform actions develops with age; (3) action is situated in a total postural background;…

Compared interstimulus interval (ISI) eye movements of 3-month-olds viewing an alternating picture sequence with those of infants viewing an irregular sequence. Found that all infants exhibited shifts during ISIs. Repetitive saccades declined while alternating and anticipatory saccades increased in alternating sequences. ISI shift frequency did…

Two experiments investigated lateral asymmetries in eight-month-olds' perception of contour-altered and contour-preserved melody changes. Found that infants who heard a contour-altered change showed a left-ear advantage, whereas infants who heard a contour-preserved change showed a right-ear advantage. The pattern of lateralization for melody…

Articles responds to some issues raised in "The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life," such as the nature of intelligence, its measurement, the importance of personal decisions in determining life outcomes, and the modifiability of intelligence in infants and young children. (Author/JDM)