A longitudinal study of maternal interactional styles and infant visual attention

Author(s): Frick, J. E., Colombo, J.

Journal/Book: Merrill Palmer Quart J Devel. 1997; 43: 4809 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201-1309. Wayne State Univ Press. 48-66.

Abstract: Sixty-five mother-infant dyads (infants at ages 6 and 8 months) participated in a longitudinal study of interactional and attentional relationships. Interaction was coded as attention following (AF), attention switching (AS), or joint attention. A laboratory-based assessment of infant fixation duration was used. AF and AS were unrelated at 6 months but inversely related at 8 months. Surprisingly, AF and AS were unrelated to joint attention. All variables were stable, and, except for a few correlations at 6 months, fixation duration was unrelated to interaction variables. These findings suggest that joint attention does not typically occur with infants younger than 9 months, but mothers may begin a pattern of interaction, AF or AS, with the you ng infant before joint attention emerges.

Note: Article Saxon TF, Baylor Univ, Sch Educ, Dept Educ Psychol, POB 97314, Waco,TX 76798 USA

Keyword(s): JOINT ATTENTION; 1ST YEAR; HABITUATION; LANGUAGE; COMPETENCE; PREDICTORS; LIFE; PLAY; AGE

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