A newborn child can identify impressions by means of the sense organs with the help of "non-visible" sensory impressions such as tactile and kinesthetic. A communication arises early between different modalities and muscle activities, which make possible an early synchronization, and identity between the infant and its surroundings.…

Maternal and infant behaviors of 30 American and 52 Japanese mother/infant dyads from middle-class homes were compared. The major differences in caretaker behavior were (1) the Japanese mothers spent more time with or in the presence of their babies than did the American mothers, and (2) the American mothers were more active in positioning the…

The primary purpose of this study was to describe the linguistic behavior exhibited by a female subject (age 2 years, 4 months) during naturally occurring social interaction with children of different ages. Verbal and nonverbal behavior were studied; of additional interest were variables influencing the emergence of linguistic behavior. Data were…

A study was undertaken on the effects of a specific parent administered infant language stimulation program, beginning at birth, on the longitudinal development of 60 normal first born infants. All infants and their environments were tested in their homes at 6 weeks and at 6 months utilizing the Bayley Scales of Infant Development and the HOME…

Research pertaining to infant care and development is surveyed for the purpose of providing information for the improvement of services for school-age parents with infants. Computerized searches were used to identify relevant materials dated 1967-72. Studies dealing with infant development (e.g., perception, conditioning, the infant-adult…

This paper describes five experimental studies which explored the influence of fathers' home caregiving and interactional characteristics on their infant's laboratory behavior. Approximately 300 families with children ranging in age from 6 to 24 months were studied. Each infant's reactions were observed as a function of the manipulation of the…

This study investigates three types of reciprocal interactions among members of the family unit (father, mother and infant): father-infant interaction affecting child's development, father-infant interaction affecting mother's behavior, and husband-wife interaction affecting mother's behavior. Data from a sample of 39 healthy first-born infants…

Research was undertaken to determine what informal education practices lend themselves to the precocity in sensorimotor development noted among Bagandan infants in Uganda, relative to their American white and black counterparts. With the assistance of a Muganda midwife/nurse a prenatal questionnaire was answered by women visiting antenatal clinics…

This paper presents some findings of a detailed analysis of infants' approach behavior in a familiar, naturalistic setting. A total of 26, white, middle-class infant-mother pairs were observed in the home every three weeks during the first year of the child's life. Instances of infant approach to both mother and observer were coded from the…

Reviews research on, and offers definitions for, play and learning in infancy. Discusses the developmental sequence in early exploratory play and learning, individual differences in exploratory play, and the relationship between rearing environments and quality of exploratory play. Discusses implications for planning and implementing infant care…

Distributed by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Education, and Health and Human Services, this Spanish-language pamphlet provides parents with information and advice about their infants in the third month of life. The pamphlet provides information on communicating with the infant through body language, preparing for the 4-month checkup,…

This guide is comprised of activities designed to assist parents in facilitating the language development of typically developing children or children with communication problems, to assist teachers and child care providers in effectively communicating with preverbal children, and to assist speech/language professionals in including preverbal…

This document is comprised of the four 1999-2000 issues of a quarterly journal for teachers and parents of children in Montessori infant and toddler programs. The May 1999 issue presents articles on eating in the prepared environment and meeting infants' basic needs for food. The August 1999 issue includes articles discussing infants' sensory…

Modern research has suggested that imitation is a natural mechanism of learning and communication, yet the possibility of imitation in newborn humans has been controversial. This book looks at evidence for innate imitation in babies. The chapters in the first section of the book reassess the Piagetian tradition, especially concerning the relation…

This booklet from the Alaska Department of Education describes stages in babies' and young children's growth and development and suggests ways parents can support their children's development process. The information is divided into the following age ranges: (1) prenatal; (2) birth to 4 weeks; (3) 1 to 3 months; (4) 3 to 6 months; (5) 6 to 9…