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)

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)

A total of 35 variables descriptive of birth and obstetric complications, prematurity, maternal discomfort, and demographic status were studied for a sample of 322 infants. Factor analyses of these variables resulted in seven major factors that were used to predict developmental status at 1 year of age for 233 of the subjects. (Author/SB)

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…

Surveyed more than 1,200 families with newborns during the infants' first year to establish data about basic demographics of child care: initiation and amount; child care history patterns; and types, multiplicity, and stability of care. Found high reliance on infant care, rapid entry into care post birth, and instability in care. (MT)

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…

Investigated the effect of mother-infant skin-to-skin contact on self-regulatory processes of premature infants. Found that infants treated with prolonged skin-to-skin contact showed improvements in state distribution, sleep-wake cyclicity, emotionality thresholds, arousal modulation, mother-infant shared attention, and infant sustained…

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)