This article provides a review and synthesis of concepts, research programs, and measures in the infant and child temperament area. First, the authors present an overview of five classical approaches to the study of child temperament that continue to stimulate research today. Subsequently, the authors carve out key definitional criteria for…

It has been proposed that infants can form global categories such as animate and inanimate objects (Mandler, 2004). The inductive generalization paradigm was used to examine inferences made by infants about the bodily, motion, and sensory capabilities of people and animals. In Experiment 1, 14-month-old infants generalized bodily and sensory…

Reports an investigation of: (1) the ability of newborns to discriminate different sapid substances and different molar concentrations within those substances; and (2) the role of immediate prior sucking and ingestion experience in altering subsequent oral behavior. Taste discrimination is demonstrated; but taste preferences seem independent of…

Children at a very young age are ready and willing to discover the world through tasting, smelling, hearing, touching, and seeing. As they emerge into an awesome world of sounds, touches, movements, lights, tastes and smells from birth, infants must learn to regulate this overwhelming amount of sensory stimulation. At first, an innate sensory…

Proposes, as an alternative to Sokolovian models, a model of early habituation based on selective adaptation of feature detectors. The model suggests that early habituation is attributable to the organization and immaturity of the young infant's visual system. (RH)

This newsletter contains six articles: (1) "Early Flavor Experiences: When Do They Start?" Julie A. Mennella and Gary K. Beauchamp); (2) "Infant Massage" (Tiffany Field); (3) "The Infant's Sixth Sense: Awareness and Regulation of Bodily Processes" (Stephen W. Porges); (4) "Sensory Contributions to Action: A…

Two experiments investigated whether novel phonotactic regularities, not present in English, could be acquired by 16.5-month-olds from brief auditory experience. Subjects listened to consonant-vowel-consonant syllables in which particular consonants were artificially restricted to either initial or final position. Findings in a subsequent…

Supplementary stimulation was supplied for 30 minutes per day for approximately six weeks to 156 normal, full-term institutionalized infants prior to adoption. The Gesell Developmental Schedules were administered regularly (until age 27 months), to determine whether development had been enhanced by the treatment. (JMB)

This study systematically investigated the influence of direction and frequency of rocking on the activity of two-month-old infants. Of the 84 subjects, 42 were males and 42 females. They were brought to the laboratory at least 2 hours after each feeding and placed supine in a bassinet. Rocking at 60 cycles per minute resulted in a greater…

A dimmer light condition was found to affect the respiration rate of 10 newborns in an experiment investigating the effects of sound and light intensity. (WY)

The results of this experiment indicate that continuous stimulation has a marked pacifying effect on young infants. (WY)

Four developmentally delayed babies were given semicircular canal stimulation in an effort to facilitate their motor and reflex development. All of the children showed motor and/or reflex changes that were attributable to the vestibular stimulation. In addition, some evidence was obtained linking changes in stereotypic responding to the vestibular…

Investigates infant stimulation as it relates to nurturing and natural mothering activities. A format for a case-study of a newborn infant and her parents is discussed. (RJC)