Infants need a secure attachment with at least one adult during the first year of life. They look to the adults who care for them to gain social and emotional cues on how to respond to unfamiliar people, objects, or situations. This is referred to as social referencing (Berk 2013). This behavior is readably observable in toddlers by about 14-months (Meltzoff 2017). Young children watch adults, listen to adult conversations, and adapt their behavior to suit the emotion they perceive from adults. For example, if a toddler observes an adult reprimanding another person for touching something, the observing toddler will tend to hesitant touching that object. This emotional responsiveness is a key component of how human beings learn social competence. The implications of this are especially important for Child Development Specialists to understand.
When in the presence of children, remember that they are always watching everything that adults are saying and doing. Young children are looking at adults for signs of how to react to situations. Therefore, we must be positive role-models for positive social interaction with others. We need to be role-models for caring and responsive interactions. Be aware of your reactions to different stimuli (for example, discovering an ant or a spider) and ensure your response is what you would want children to mimic. Be aware of your tone of voice and facial expressions.
Research indicates that for positive social behaviors to develop in young children, a child must have an emotionally close relationship with the adults around her or him (Davis & Degotardi 2015). Studies demonstrate that when infants and toddlers are observing others, even from a distance, social interaction skills are reinforced. For example, infants imitate the actions of toddlers who are near them.
Implications for Child Development Specialists
Toddlers should be allowed to be a part of infant care-giving routines. Many things can be done to support nurturing interactions between infants and toddlers. Adults need to let go of fears about the infant’s safety. Maintain adequate supervision and safe play spaces for infant-toddler interaction. Remember that adult fears will be transferred to the children, influencing their behavior (social referencing) (McGaha, Cummings, Lippard, & Dallas 2011). So, consider the following:
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Allow toddlers to assist in appropriate infant care and routines, such as spoon-feeding (McGaha, Cummings, Lippard, & Dallas 2011).
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Provide dolls and ‘care-giving’ accessories to toddlers for them to mimic adult interactions with infants (McGaha, Cummings, Lippard, & Dallas 2011).
The need for consistent adult-child interactions cannot be over-emphasized. It has long been believed that it is in the child’s best interest to have a primary caregiver (typically a parent) that exclusively looks after an infant’s needs. However, research (Warsha & Mayuri 2015) has consistently demonstrated that it is possible that the strong attachment a child forms with the primary caregiver can be extended to other individuals significant to the infant. Therefore, it is importance to ensure that an infant have daily contact with a consistent group of caring individuals. This should include the father figure, older siblings, grandparents, and other adults within the infant’s sphere of influence (Davis & Degotardi 2015; Johnson, Grossmann, & Farroni 2008; Lokken 2000).
Implications for Child Development Specialists
To promote attachments between an infant and older siblings or multiple adults:
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Introduce non-primary caregivers to an infant while the infant is interacting with the primary caregiver (social referencing).
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Encourage interactions between the infant and other family members and friends.
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Interaction with other children and adults should occur at least once every day (Shin, 2010).
Following these guidelines can lead to strong emotional attachments that strengthen social and emotional development.
References
Berk, L.E. 2013. Child Development. 9th ed. Pearson Education.
Davis, B., & S. Degotardi. 2015. “Educators’ Understandings of, and Support for, Infant Peer Relationships in Early Childhood Settings.” Journal of Early Childhood Research 13(1): 64-78.
McGaha, C.G., R. Cummings, B. Lippard, & K. Dallas. 2011. “Relationship Building: Infants, Toddlers, and 2-Year-Olds.” Early Childhood Research and Practice 13 (1):15.
Meltzoff, A.N. 2017. Social Cognition and the Origins of Imitation, Empathy, and Theory of Mind. In The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of Childhood Cognitive Development, 49-75, edited by U. Gowsami. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing.
Shin, M. 2010. “Peeking at the Relationship World of Infant Friends and Caregivers.” Journal of Early Childhood Research 8 (3): 24-302.
Warsha, N., & K. Mayuri. 2015. “Child to Child Interaction: An Observational Study.” International Journal of Science and Research 4 (2): 1056-1061.
