Optimal and Nonoptimal Patterns of Attentional Focus on Partner and Object at 12 Months

• In Event: Poster Session 01
  In Poster Session: PS 01 Topic - Parenting & Parent-Child Relationships

Abstract

By 12 months, infants indicate interest in objects, share that interest with a partner, and share a partner’s interest in an object. Attention to both partner and object is typically termed joint attention. Most joint attention tasks examine infant ability to join the partner’s focus of attention within an experimental paradigm. Less is known about what the adult partner does to facilitate (or inhibit) shared attention during naturalistic face-to-face play.
Maternal joining infant focus of attention on an object scaffolds infant interest in the environment and ability to coordinate interest in objects and people. Something special happens when the parent joins the infant’s focus: the infant’s initiative toward an object is recognized, shared, and given interpersonal significance.
This study examined both vantage points of either partner joining the other’s focus of attention on an object. We defined “infant-initiated shared-attention” as both partners looking (in same second) at a toy in which the infant initiated interest; “mother-initiated shared-attention” as both partners looking (in same second) at a toy in which the mother initiated interest. We also explored “infant-initiated object-focus”: defined as the infant initiating interest in a toy. To evaluate the relative optimal/nonoptimal dimension of these vantage points, we examined their associations with 4- and 12-month maternal intrusion and depression, and 12-month infant distress and disorganized attachment.
Method.
Mother-infant dyads (N=83) were videotaped split-screen in face-to-face play when infants were 4 and 12 months. Videotapes were coded (1-sec timebase) at 4 months for maternal intrusion-behaviors (intrusive touch, loom, chase/dodge); and at 12 months for (a) mother and infant gaze (at partner, toy, both, or off); we distinguished which partner initiated attention (via any behavior) on the toy; (b) maternal intrusion: moving hand/toy into infant’s face; (c) infant distress; (d) infant degree disorganized attachment (Ainsworth paradigm). We assessed 4- and 12-month maternal depression (CES-D).
Results.
Table 1 shows the following patterns documented via Pearson correlations:
(a) Infant-initiated shared-attention (mother-gaze at infant+infant-object) was associated at 12 months with greater infant-gaze at infant-initiated object-focus (interpreted as greater infant freedom to pursue own focus of interest); less infant distress; and lower degree of infant disorganized attachment. We regard this as an optimal pattern in development.
(b) Conversely, mother-initiated shared-attention (mother-gaze at infant+mother-object) was associated with more 4-month maternal intrusive-touch; more 12-month mother-into-the face and infant looking at mother’s focus of interest (interpreted as infant compliance); greater degree infant disorganized attachment. We regard this as a less optimal pattern in development.
(c) Infant-initiated object-focus (infant-gaze at infant-object) was associated with less 4- and 12-month maternal intrusion; less 4-month maternal depression; and at 12 months more mother-gaze at infant+infant-object; less mother-gaze at infant+mother-object); and less infant distress.
Conclusion.
Mothers who follow infants’ focus of attention on an object facilitate infants’ shared-attention and ability to follow their own interests. Infant initiative and agency inherent in the infant’s own attentional focus are over-ridden when mothers draw infant attention to the mother’s object-focus. Infant-initiated shared-attention optimizes infant agency in object exploration and trust that parents will share those interests.

Authors

• Beatrice Beebe, New York State Psychiatric Institute
  Non-Presenting Author

• Ann E Bigelow, St. Francis Xavier University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Robert Galligan
  Non-Presenting Author

• Herbert Terrace, Columbia University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Lindsay Goolsby, Columbia University
  Presenting Author

• Amruta Wagh
  Non-Presenting Author

• Nur Emanet, Teachers College, Columbia University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Shanna Jones
  Non-Presenting Author

• Ariyan Bowman
  Non-Presenting Author

• Gavkhar Abdurokhmonova
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jiaqi Liu, New York University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Tess Jacobson
  Non-Presenting Author

• Alessandra Garcia
  Non-Presenting Author

• Romola Hilerio, Teachers College, Columbia University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Vesna Bozic
  Non-Presenting Author

• Sang Han Lee
  Non-Presenting Author