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Intentional action arises from early reciprocal exchanges.

Philippe Rochat1

  • 1Emory University, Department of Psychology, 532 North Kilgo Circle, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. psypr@emory.edu

Acta Psychologica
|November 23, 2006
PubMed
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Infant intentionality emerges around two months, driven by social communication like mirroring and imitation. These interactions help infants develop self and other perspectives, crucial for communication and a meta-stance toward the world.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Cognitive Science
  • Social Interaction

Background:

  • Intentionality, the ability to represent goals beyond immediate perception, emerges early in human development.
  • Reciprocal social communication, including affective mirroring and imitation, is hypothesized to play a key role in developing intentionality.
  • Understanding the origins of intentionality is crucial for comprehending cognitive and social development in infants.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the role of early social communication in the development of infant intentionality.
  • To propose that social interactions, rather than solitary object interaction, are primary drivers of intentionality.
  • To link the development of self and other perspectives to the emergence of intentionality.

Main Methods:

Related Experiment Videos

  • Theoretical argument based on developmental observations.
  • Analysis of infant-mother reciprocal exchanges.
  • Examination of affective mirroring and mutual imitation in early communication.

Main Results:

  • Infants begin showing signs of intentionality around two months of age.
  • Reciprocal social exchanges facilitate the differentiation and comparison of self and other perspectives.
  • This social-cognitive development is a prerequisite for referential communication and intentionality.

Conclusions:

  • The developmental origins of intentionality are primarily social, rooted in early communication.
  • Social interactions provide the foundation for a contemplative, "meta" stance toward the world.
  • Intentionality develops through social mirroring and imitation, not solely through interaction with physical objects.