Abstract
The purpose of this chapter is to review existing information and to present some new evidence concerning human infants’ interactions with other infants during the first year of life. This topic is of interest both for its practical significance and its theoretical import. In contemporary Western societies, early experience with peers can no longer be considered anomalous; day care, playgroup, or nursery school arrangements represent a familiar part of life for increasing numbers of infants and toddlers. Thus it is not surprising that developmental researchers have charted the structure and content of peer interactions in these settings (Field, 1979b; Finkelstein, Dent, Gallacher, & Ramey, 1978; Holmberg, 1980; Field & Roopnarine, Note 1). These naturalistic studies have been supplemented by attempts to specify the determinants of early peer interaction; such experiments have been conducted both in laboratory playrooms (Eckerman & Whatley, 1977; Jacobson, 1981; Vandell, Wilson, & Buchanan, 1980) and under controlled conditions in homes (Becker, 1977). Both types of studies have served to broaden the scope of current accounts of early development and to inform attempts by parents and educators to provide stimulating care for young children.
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Reference Notes
Field, T., & Roopnarine, J. Infant peer interaction. In T. Field et al. (Eds.), Review of human development New York: Wiley, in preparation.
Hay, D. F., Nash, A., & Pedersen, J. Characteristics and determinants of peer interaction between 6-month-old infants. Unpublished manuscript.
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Hay, D.F., Pedersen, J., Nash, A. (1982). Dyadic Interaction in the First Year of Life. In: Rubin, K.H., Ross, H.S. (eds) Peer Relationships and Social Skills in Childhood. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-8180-8_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-8180-8_2
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