This paper reviews a few studies, both in animals and humans, that are relevant in helping us to understand factors affecting infant-mother interaction. (MM)

Examined the relationship between observed sex differences in infants' play, parental responses to these play patterns, and parents' ratings of sample child behaviors as typically masculine, feminine, or neither. (JMB)

Results showed that infants as young as 10 months of age are responsive to the person and behavior of an unfamiliar peer and that they are no less responsive than older infants (22-24 months of age) to the social versus nonsocial aspects of a novel setting. (Author/JMB)

The fundamental frequencies (Fo) of infant cries were analyzed to determine if mean cry Fo differed as a function of the infant's sex or due to the stimulus evoking the cry. Results indicate no significant differences in either; however, males exhibited a tendency to have higher mean Fo. (Author/KM)

Three-month-old infants received two consecutive 5-minute periods of adult social stimulation. Study results showed that social reinforcement changes the pattern and not the rate of infant vocal responding. (MS)

Maternal stimulation during infanct feeding was compared for groups of 4-month-old bottle-fed and breast-fed, normal and high-risk infants. (JMB)

The selection of acts from the stream of infant behavior is examined. Adults (140 mothers, fathers, and other men and women) viewed videotapes of 9-, 15-, and 21-month-old infants. One half noted meaningful acts; the other half noted intentionally communicative acts. Parents selected more meaningful acts than nonparents and agreed more about…

Findings suggest that infant temperament affects the manner in which security or insecurity is expressed, but does not determine whether an infant develops a secure or insecure attachment to parent. (PCB)

Discusses the relationship between insecurity and attachment to soft, inanimate objects. Because attachments to nonsocial objects are common, there is agreement that they do not presage maladjustment. An investigation with 20- to 41-month-olds indicated that attachment to blankets was not associated with general fearfulness, however, certain…

Results indicated that the more frequently the children studied expressed emotion, the older the age of language achievements; and the more time spent in neutral affect, the younger the age of language achievements. (PCB)

Infants, aged one to four months, were tested for developmental shifts in their ability to discriminate internal pattern elements in compound geometric figures. Significant recovery was seen at all ages when any pattern element was altered. No developmental differences in responsiveness to changes in internal versus external figures were observed.…

Investigates whether tactual habituation without the assistance of vision occurs in four- to six-month-old infants. Additionally tests the relevance of a habituation/reaction to novelty procedure in the tactual modality. Results show clearly that tactual habituation occurs in such infants, just as visual habituation does. (Author/RH)

In three experiments, the effect of additional "contextual" elements on the discrimination of the orientation of linear and curvilinear segments was investigated with four-month-old infants. Results suggest that, regarding certain stimuli and techniques of measurement, surrounding contextual segments can aid the discrimination of linear…

Classified fetuses as accelerators or decelerators based on intrapartum fetal heart rate (FHR). Explored the relationship of the classification with gestational age and neonatal behavior in clinically healthy neonates to provide an empirical basis for using FHR in the study of infant behavior. Subjects were 48 "healthy term" or…

Two studies were conducted to (1) develop measure of infants' executive capacity, defined as difference between infants' most sophisticated level of functioning displayed first in free and then in elicited play and (2) to test several hypotheses regarding relationship between these performance and competence measures of child functioning and home…