Human neonates selectively fixated patterns with curved rather than straight contours when the outermost contours differed in this form variable and when quantitative variables were controlled. Data indicated the presence from birth of a discrimination ability basic to later form perception. (Author/ED)

An attempt to clear up current misunderstanding of the concept of attachment by defining and distinguishing the concepts of "attachment qua affective bond" and "attachment behaviors". (Author/ED)

Paper presented at the Merrill-Palmer Institute on Research and Training of Infant Development (Detroit, Mich., Feb. 15-17, 1968).

Evaluation data are presented for the Open Door infant, toddler, and preschool programs (Las Cruces, New Mexico) for handicapped young children. Effects of intervention are reported in terms of learner gain for each child, mean gains for each child across developmental areas, mean gains for groups within each developmental area, subsequent…

Among children of teenage mothers the probability of developmental problems and physical risks is increased$by the mother's physical and social youthfulness and lack of life experience and skills. Some problems of these children stem from adolescent parents' own struggles with tasks unique to their stage of life. Lack of information regarding…

In several brief sections, this pamphlet defines play, discusses how play helps a child develop, and how play changes as a child grows older, indicates the role of toys and certain play activities in promoting sex stereotypes, and identifies the role of fantasy and imagination in children's play. A discussion of the role of parents in fostering…

Articles covering a wide spectrum of aquatic sports are presented as aids to teachers and coaches of swimming. Included are suggestions for teaching swimming to the handicapped and infants, specific techniques for developing swimming skills, and tips for boating education and water safety. (JD)

The authors report the first year's evaluation findings on the Family Consultation Project, a transdisciplinary, noncategorical early intervention program serving infants at known or high risk for developmental disability due to genetic disorders or severe perinatal medical complications. The intervention program encouraged mutual pleasure in the…

In observations of three brain injured children (20, 32, and 24 months old), the authors found a strong association between reinforcement density and cooperative behavior during physical therapy sessions. The results suggested that the delivery of reinforcement per se has substantial effects on behavior. When large amounts of noncontingent…

The structural elements of the spontaneous symbolic play of 2- and 3-year-olds were compared with those of 4- and 5-year-olds. All 32 children studied were enrolled in a private day care center. Each child was observed during free play in the center for 15 minutes. Three categories of signifiers (animate, inanimate and imaginary) and five modes of…

The document, over three-fourths of which consists of appendixes, presents the 1978-79 final performance report for Project Outreach, the informational extension of the Infant Program for Visually Imapired (IPVI). Materials and media produced by Project Outreach are based on direct experience with visually impaired preschool children through the…

This set of documents consists of English, French, and Spanish translations of four pamphlets on breast-feeding. The pamphlets provide information designed for lay persons, academics and professionals, health personnel and educators, and policy-makers. The contents cover health-related differences between breast and bottle milk; patterns of…

This report describes a model for the training of Family Day Care Providers who will care for infants and toddlers. Section I of this report includes a discussion of the child care issues and theoretical background which resulted in the development of the Infant Family Day Care Training project. The grantee is also described in this section. In…

The document presents the final report on a 1 year study of 267 mother-infant pairs at risk for child abuse, in which maternal characteristics, infant temperament, environmental stress factors, and mother-child interaction were examined in an attempt to identify differences between mothers who mistreat their children and those who do not. Three…

The report describes activities and accomplishments of an infant intervention program for mildly to severely/profoundly handicapped children, with emphasis on the needs of bicultural/bilingual handicapped children and handicapped children from low socioeconomic backgrounds. The program involves a peer training approach to parent counseling and…