This paper considers the meaning, reference and clinical relevance of Winnicott's concept of "riddance". Taking its starting point from the infant's behaviour in letting go the spatula, as described in his paper, "The observation of infants in a set situation", it explores his explanation of riddance activity in the context of…

This study compared the reinforcement effects of imitation to the elicitation effects of noncontingent maternal vocal stimulation. Subjects were 17 three- to six-month-old infants and their mothers. Infants received three successive experimental conditions: contingent imitation B1, noncontingent elicitations, and contingent imitation B2. Under the…

Study supported in part by Research Grant MH-13703-01 from the National Institute of Mental Health.

Two-year-olds' reactions to strangers were related to ratings of their emotionality, sociability and activity and to ratings of parental love and control by both fathers and mothers. Each child received two sessions with strangers, one male and one female. Four times per session a stranger, in a friendly manner, approached each child as it sat in…

An unfamiliar or strange situation was used as a setting to highlight individual differences in an infant's responses to brief separations from his mother and his reactions to a stranger. Two groups were observed, one composed of 23 white, middle class mother-infant pairs, the other of 33 pairs. Eight episodes, presented in fixed order for all…

Sixteen white home-reared babies (eight boys - eight girls) ranging in age from six months to two years were studied during home visits. Piaget's sensory-motor development theory of imitation was employed, and his special thesis of the hierarchical sequence was tested. The examiner proposed four critieria for assessing the development of imitation…

Individual differences in four separation-related behaviors, protest, following, and positive greetings or crying on reunion, were examined for 26 infants observed intensively at home during the fourth quarter-year, and considered in relation to one another, to other infant behaviors, and to maternal behavior. Contrary to Freudian and other…

Noting the difficulty that many parents have finding activities to fit the busy life, budget, and energy levels of the average parent and the attention span and abilities of the typical infant and toddler, this book is designed as a reference book for parents and others looking for ways to entertain, educate, and enjoy a young child during the…

The formation of attachments is an important phenomenon occurring in the realm of socioemotional development. This study examined the impact of infant massage on infants' subsequent attachment security. Fifty-seven mother-infant dyads (48 dyads from Head Start, 9 from the community at large) were randomly assigned to a treatment or control group…

A paper presented at Anglo-American Seminar on Teaching English to the Linguistically Deprived (Walsall, England, June 1968). (Editor/RD)

Analyzes conversations between one mother and her 22-month-old child, describing sequences the pair used in clarifying each other's focus of attention and in instructing and learning about concepts and motor skills. Results highlight the importance of the intensive learning environment provided by home conversations. (RH)