Poster #192 - Individual differences in gaze following depends on social context: A social-first account of gaze following

• In Event: 1-005 - Poster Session 01
  In Poster Session: PS 01 Section - Social Cognition

Integrative Statement

Gaze following (GF) is an early developing social ability with relevance for later development (Mundy, 2016). Two prominent, potentially complementary, theories have been used to explain early emerging GF abilities. One that emphasize social motivation (Gredebäck, Fikke, & Melinder, 2010) and one that suggest a general reinforcement learning mechanism (Moore & Corkum, 1998).
The current study aim to increase our understanding of how, and to which extent, social context may influence GF onset time and its development. This is done by testing GF in a longitudinal setting where maternal postpartum depression (MPPD) and Attachment are taken into consideration.
Families (N=120) were invited to the lab when their infant was 6 (n=118), 10 (n=110), and 12 months (n=112). At 6 and 10 months, infants completed a standard GF test (Gredebäck, Astor & Fawcett, 2018). At the 12-month visit, infants participated in the Strange Situation Procedure (Ainsworth et al., 1978) to classify Attachment. In addition, the infant’s mother completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (Cox, Holden, & Sagovsky, 1987) at 6 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months after their infant’s birth.
Zero-order correlations revealed a significant longitudinal relationship between GF at 6 and 10 months (n=100, r=.20, p=.04). Further, Attachment (BvsACD) was significantly correlated to GF at 6 months (n=105, r=.24, p=.01) and marginally correlated to GF at 10 months (n=105, r=.18, p=.06). That is, at both time points, infants classified as having secure Attachment were more likely to follow gaze than those classified as having insecure attachment and or disorganized attachment. There was a negative relation between GF at 10 months and MPPD at 6 months (n=99, r=-.17, p=.09) and a significant relation between MPPD at 12 months (n=87, r=-.22, p=.04) where infants to mothers with higher levels of MPPD were less likely to follow gaze. Finally, there were significant longitudinal relations between all measures of MPPD.
A path model revealed an association between GF at 6 months and Attachment, and between GF at 10 months and MPPD at 12 months. The model had a good model-to-data fit, as indicated by a non-significant χ2-test (p=.271) and four indices of fit reaching criteria that is considered a good model fit (CFI=.995 [>.95], TLI =.960 [>.95], RMSEA=.052 [<.06], SRMR=.021 [<.08], square brackets indicate conventional criteria for good model fit). The path model indicates that GF at 10 months is primarily influenced by MPPD (at 12 months) while GF at 6 months is primarily influenced by Attachment (although measured at 12 months, we conceptualized Attachment as a construct present in the child-mother dyad already from an early age and stable over time).
These results demonstrates, contrary to studies that report no initial influence of social environment (Senju et al., 2015), that early GF is highly influenced by the social context of the infant, already at 6 months of age. Depression and attachment are two factors that significantly alter the foundations of social cognition, and the ability to learn from others, early in life. The long-term consequences of a poor social understanding might be substantial.

Authors

• Kim Astor, Uppsala University
  Presenting Author

• Marcus Lindskog, Uppsala University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Linda Forsman, Uppsala University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Ben Kenward, Oxford Brookes University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Alkistis Skalkidou, 4Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Mari Fransson, Uppsala University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Gustaf Gredebäck, Uppsala University
  Non-Presenting Author