ERIC Number: EJ1079410
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Aug
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0142-7237
EISSN: N/A
Infants' Behaviors as Antecedents and Consequents of Mothers' Responsive and Directive Utterances
Masur, Elise Frank; Flynn, Valerie; Lloyd, Carrie A.
First Language, v33 n4 p354-371 Aug 2013
To investigate possible influences on and consequences of mothers' speech, specific infant behaviors preceding and following four pragmatic categories of mothers' utterances--responsive utterances, supportive behavioral directives, intrusive behavioral directives, and intrusive attentional directives--were examined longitudinally during dyadic free play at ages 13, 17, and 21 months. Analyses revealed developmental increases in children's positive social and object-directed behaviors before and after maternal speech. Responsive utterances were the most likely to be preceded by social and object initiatives and more likely than intrusive directives to occur following high toy interest. Although mothers' intrusive behavioral and attentional directives were often preceded by infants' disengagement from play and toys, they were followed by infants' greater levels of toy interest. Infants' rates of compliance were substantial following all directives. The findings reveal differential behavioral circumstances preceding and following mothers' responsive versus directive speech and their supportive directive versus intrusive directive utterances.
Descriptors: Infants, Mothers, Parent Influence, Speech Communication, Infant Behavior, Responses, Parent Child Relationship, Attention, Behavior, Longitudinal Studies, Play, Age Differences, Child Development, Social Behavior, Toys, Interests, Compliance (Psychology), Coding, Motion
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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