The Role of Adults in Infant-Peer Interactions

Adult influences on infant peer interaction were examined to determine whether infants would be more likely to sustain interaction with one another when their mothers were encouraging them to do so than they would when their mothers were busy with something else. A total of 36 infants, 14 months of age, were videotaped during 30-minute play sessions consisting of two previously unacquainted infants and their mothers. Observations were made under two conditions: when the mother was encouraging infant interaction and when she was busy filling out a questionnaire. Infants remained in proximity to their peer partners, interacted more frequently, spent more time interacting, and had longer interactions with one another when the adults were busy, than was the case in the condition of encouragement. Thus, on the whole, infants were better able to sustain interactions when adults ignored them than when they attempted to assist them. Most adult attempts to elicit peer interaction failed. Infants may be more "expert" than adults in interacting with other individuals who do not yet use language or other culturally appropriate means of interacting. Adults, however, may facilitate or inhibit infant peer interaction, depending on the strategy they use. It is concluded that assisting in toy placement and manipulation may be more helpful than giving advice or verbal instruction. (Author/RH)