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Updated: May 12, 2026
06:57
Modeling Verbal Behavior Deficits with the Stimulus Control Ratio Equation, SCoRE
Published on: May 14, 2019
Contingency drives children's vocal behavior
Maithri Sivaraman1, Martha Pelaez2
1Health Studies and Applied Educational Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
|May 11, 2026
Summary
Caregiver vocal imitation and parentese significantly enhance infant vocalizations. These contingent responses are effective interventions for clinical populations, improving vocal frequency and quality.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Behavior Analysis
- Speech-Language Pathology
Background:
- Infant vocalizations are crucial for early communication development.
- Caregiver responses shape infant vocal behavior.
- Contingent caregiver vocalizations include imitation and parentese.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review evidence on the effects of contingent vocal imitation and parentese on infant vocalizations.
- To assess the effectiveness of these interventions in clinical populations.
- To explore underlying mechanisms and future research directions.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of studies on infant-caregiver vocal interactions.
- Analysis of methodological and procedural details in prior research.
- Examination of effects on vocalization frequency and quality.
Main Results:
- Contingent vocal imitation and parentese positively impact infant vocalizations.
- These strategies demonstrate effectiveness in clinical intervention studies.
- Observed effects include increased frequency and improved quality of vocalizations.
Conclusions:
- Contingent caregiver vocalizations are vital for infant speech development.
- Interventions utilizing imitation and parentese show promise for clinical applications.
- Further research is needed to elucidate mechanisms and optimize interventions.
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