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The relationship between smile type and play type during parent-infant play
K L Dickson1, H Walker, A Fogel
1Department of Psychology, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff 86011, USA. Laurie.Dickson@nau.edu
Developmental Psychology
|December 31, 1997
Summary
Parent-infant interactions show distinct smile types during specific play activities. Fathers and mothers exhibit unique patterns of smiles and play during dyadic interactions.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Infant Behavior
- Parent-Child Interaction
Background:
- Understanding parent-infant communication is crucial for early development.
- Parental interaction styles, including play and emotional expression, shape infant social-emotional growth.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between specific smile types and play types in parent-infant dyads.
- To identify differences in smile-play patterns between mother-infant and father-infant interactions.
Main Methods:
- Utilized video recordings of 36 mother-infant and father-infant dyads during 10-minute play sessions.
- Coded distinct smile types (basic, Duchenne, duplay) and play types (object, physical, vocal, book reading).
- Employed loglinear and qualitative analyses to examine patterns and generate hypotheses.
Main Results:
- Significant associations were found between specific smile types and play types, occurring more frequently than by chance.
- Distinct patterns of smile-type and play-type interactions were observed between mothers and fathers with their infants.
- Qualitative data provided insights into the potential reasons behind these observed interaction patterns.
Conclusions:
- The type of play engaged in by parents and infants is linked to the type of smiles displayed.
- Parent-infant interaction dynamics, specifically smile and play patterns, differ between mothers and fathers.
- Further research is warranted to explore the underlying mechanisms driving these observed differences in parent-infant communication.