Abstract
The purpose of the study was to identify the mechanisms underlying the links between maternal attention directing strategies and infants’ focused attention. In the first year of life temporal organisation of dyadic behaviour was examined in the home. A sample of 50 dyads was videorecorded for one hour during usual activities, twice at 5- and 8-months of age. Onset and offset of maternal behaviours toward objects, and infants’ attention were noted. Sequential analyses demonstrated dependencies between partner’s behaviours: infants and mothers adjusted to each other’s activity. Maternal behaviours were classified as introducing, maintaining and redirecting attention: over both ages, the most frequent maternal behaviour was introducing, which did not systematically attract the infant’s attention; maintaining was the second most frequent maternal behaviour. Infants focused their attention longer when the mother used introducing or maintaining strategies. Older infants initiated a greater proportion of attention focusing episodes. At both ages inter-dyads variability is very large, with a significant inter-ages stability. The present data bring further support to the interpretation of parental activity as a genuine scaffolding of attention.
Résumé
Cette étude se propose de mettre en évidence les mécanisme sousacents aux corrélations observées entre la fréquence des focalisations de l’attention du bébé et la fréquence des interventions maternelles à ce sujet. Pour cela, on considère l’organisation temporelle de ces comportements. Cinquante dyades mère-bébé ont été filmées à la maison pendant une heure d’activités, habituelles, quand le bébé avait 5 puis 8 mois. Les débuts et fins des focalisations de l’attention du bébé sur des objets et des interventions maternelles ont été détectées. Une analyse séquentielle a mis en évidence des dépendances significatives dans la succession des comportements des deux partenaires. Les interventions maternelles peuvent viser à attirer l’attention, à la maintenir ou à la rediriger; la première catégorie est la plus fréquente, mais les soutiens sont loin d’être rares. Les mères ne réussissent pas toujours à attirer l’attention, mais quand elles interviennent, pour attirer ou maintenir l’attention, les focalisations du bébé durent plus longtemps. Les bébés de 8 mois sont à l’initiative de plus de focalisations. Aux deux âges la variabilité inter-dyades est très grande, et la stabilité inter-âges est significative. Tous ces résultats soutiennent l’interprétation des interventions maternelles en termes d’étayage.
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Findji, F. Infant attention scaffolding at home. Eur J Psychol Educ 13, 323–333 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03172948
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03172948