Deferred imitation of object-related actions was studied at two ages, 12 and 18 months, to examine development of competence in observational learning. Three task categories were investigated: simple/single reiterative, and sequentially coordinated actions. Examination of partial successes at both ages was useful for suggesting phases in…

Designed to explore (1) developmental changes in exact and partial imitation of manual and facial movements, (2) model differences, and (3) gesture differences, this study observed infants at 2, 12, and 24 weeks of age. A hypothesis is proposed that links early nonselective behaviors and attributed imitation to emergence of imitative behavior…

Compares aspects of temperamental organization in low birthweight and full-term children between one and three years of age with similar backgrounds. The low birthweight children were less distractible, exhibited higher sensory thresholds, and were more intense and less adaptable. (CI)

Discusses developmental changes in visual exploration and manipulative investigation among children from birth to six months, six to 12 months, and 12 to 36 months of age. Also discusses pretend play in terms of decentration, decontextualization, and integration. (RH)

The predictive efficiency of Home Observation for Measurement of Environment (HOME) with 51 infants from low-income families at-risk for developmental retardation was assessed. At both 6 and 18 months, the discriminant function of the HOME was found to be moderately sensitive in identifying children in the low-IQ group. (Author/CL)

Nine years of environmental sensory aid used by blind and visually disabled young children are reviewed in terms of benefits expected and actual results. Issues of conditioned learning and sensory integration are discussed, and the author calls for a suspension of further research. (Author)

Comparisons of age and test score correlations, comparisons of cross-sequential means, and trends of means for diagnostic subgroups and normal controls suggest developmental delay for all measured skills at all ages for autistic and schizophrenic children. Findings also suggest a trend for steady prepubertal cognitive skill development, followed…

In a study involving 16 cases of infants hospitalized for nonorganic failure to thrive, eight of whom were placed in foster homes and eight discharged home, mother-infant interactions in the group requiring foster care were clearly more dysfunctional than those in the discharged group. (Author/CL)

Follow-up of 16 infants hospitalized for nonorganic failure to thrive (half in foster care and half at home) showed lack of progress for both groups in mothers' emotional developmental status and in mother-child interaction. (CL)

The low predictive validity of infant tests is discussed in light of current issues in developmental psychology. Considers continuity and discontinuity in the development of early cognitive competence, intellectual heterogeneity problems, and individual-environment transactions. Provides suggestions for increasing predictive validity and indicates…

The article reviews research on teenage pregnancy, the special educational needs of the infants of these teenage mothers, and current intervention programs for teenage mothers and infants. Research demonstrates that intervention programs can impact infant mortality, morbidity, and prematurity as well as infant social and cognitive development.…

Results indicated no significant differences between conditioning procedures in regard to obtained MRLs (minimum response levels) number of stimulus presentations required to establish MRL (discounting conditioning trials), and number of false-positive responses observed during control trial for 60 premature infants at one or two years of age.…

Examines mastery of spatial-transposition problems by 20-, 30-, and 42-month-old children. Subjects performed well on irrelevant transpositions of three cups. However, on relevant transpositions the correct cup was not selected until 42 months. Results suggest that children initially acquire search patterns on an experimental basis and gradually…

Analysis of videotaped mother interactions with 21 visually impaired and 16 nonhandicapped infants revealed that visually impaired infants demonstrated fewer periods of positive vocalization and responses, fewer social initiations, more negative vocalizations and periods of negative affect, and more ignoring of the mothers than did the controls.…

Social routines based on rhyming verses combined with co-active participation with adults were developed to permit visually impaired young children with additional handicaps to associate communicative responses with attention to and action on objects. (Author/CL)