Toys and Social Interaction between Infant Peers

Abstract

Claims that young infants fail to react in a social manner to one another and that toys preempt attention to peers were assessed by comparing the interactions observed between infant peers when they met in the presence of toys versus in their absence. 44 pairs of unacquainted infants (either 10--12 or 22--24 months of age) came with their mothers to an unfamiliar room. Without toys available in the room, infants of both ages more often contacted one another, smiled at and gestured to one another, and duplicated each other's actions. With toys, they showed and exchanged toys and spent more time synchronously manipulating similar play material. The results document that infants as young as 10 months of age are responsive to the person and behavior of an unfamiliar peer and that they are no less responsive than older infants to the social versus nonsocial aspects of a novel setting.

Peer Interactional Abilities of Children from Four Age-Groups

“…When the 2-yearolds did respond to peers in the current study, their responses were situationally con tingent, with few being redundant or noncon tingent to the previous message. The lack of redundant responses (imitative responses) differs from the work of Eckerman and Whatley [1977] and Eckerman and Stein [1982]. It is not surprising that the younger toddlers in Eckerman and Whatley's [1977] study depended on imitative responses.…”

“…The lack of redundant responses (imitative responses) differs from the work of Eckerman and Whatley [1977] and Eckerman and Stein [1982]. It is not surprising that the younger toddlers in Eckerman and Whatley's [1977] study depended on imitative responses. When the partner is unfamiliar, Eckerman and Stein [ 1982] suggest that older toddlers may continue to use imitative responses.…”

“…In terms of toddlers' ability to respond to peer-directed messages, most messages do not receive a response [Eckerman and Whatley, 1977;Ross, 1982], When a re sponse is given, it is either unrelated to the previous message [Brenner and Mueller, 1982], an imitation of the previous message [Eckerman and Whatley, 1977;Eckerman and Stein, 1982;Ross, 1982], or inherently related to the previous message (e.g., givetake routine) [Eckerman and Stein, 1982;Ross. 1982],…”

“…Toddlers' peer-directed messages can be characterized as nonverbal [Eckerman and Whatley, 1977;Ross ct al., 1982], situationally redundant in that messages designate ob jects and actions within the context [Ecker man and Whatley, 1977;Mueller and Bren ner, 1977], and primarily functioning to de mand action or attention from the partner .…”

The Child and Its Family: The Social Network Model

“…For example, we have argued that 'peers are not substitutes for infant-adult relationships, but rather are just as basic and maybe older in a phylogenetic sense and just as vital for species survival' [Lewis, Young, Brooks, & Michalson, 1975, p. 61]. Infants in the first year of life are capable of complex and positive interactions with each other [e.g., Eckerman & Whatley, 1977;Vincze, 1971]. Vandell, Wilson, and Buchanan [1980] reported that, even at 6 months of age, infant peers were able to engage in sequences where both participants acted socially, primarily by using vocalizations, touches, and smiles.…”