Study of young infants as social beings

In theories of development, an important but controversial question is whether or not young infants are social beings. For example, it is often argued that, while infants may appear to interact with adults, this is a mistaken impression until such a time as they have fulfilled certain theoretically defined criteria for sociability. The aims of this study were first, empirically to evaluate arguments for and against the view that infants have an EtXel,i sensitivity to other persons, and secondly, if such a sensitivity were found, to discover how it develops during the first six months of life. Both an experiment and detailed naturalistic observations were made to answer the first question. The experiment produced preliminary evidence that the behaviour of two- month -olds is consistently different with persons and with graspable objects. This finding was supported by fine -grain analysis of a filmed interaction between a two -month -old and her mother which produced conclusive evidence that young infants are sensitive not only to the form of others' actions but to the social significance of their actions, insofar as those actions affect the infant's immediate interests. Subsequent observations and experiments were made to find how social sensitivity or 'intersubjectivity' develops during the first six months of life. These involved comparisons between infants' behaviour when interacting with their mother, with strangers and with novel and familiar face -masks. Behaviour was recorded on video-tape for approximately four minutes in each condition, twice a month, between six and twenty -eight weeks of age. Findings showed that there is a peak of social interest between six and ten weeks of age which is followed by a decline. This decline was due to a general increase in infants' ability to take active control of their surroundings - typified by their increased interest in objects and in playing interpersonal games (as opposed to participating in 'conversational' adult-infant exchanges). Associated with this decline of interest was increased 'negativity' during interactions with the mother and with other stimuli (i.e. actions of refusing or shutting out contact with other entities). Twelve examples of negativity are described in detail. The thesis also includes a theoretical contribution to Lacan's and Winnicott's notion of 'mirroring', based on the analysis of maternal babytalk. This suggests that mirroring is not simply a social phenomenon but is also an ideological phenomenon and constitutes, therefore, a complex and salient form of social influence during early infancy. The thesis concludes with a Spinozan argument that, notwithstanding their innate sensitivity to other persons, the development of infants as persons should be viewed as a more all- embracing process than is usually connoted by the phrase 'social development'; namely, as just one expression of the essential process by which humans increase their power of self - determination