DETERMINANTS OF MATERNAL STIMULATION OF INFANTS AND CONSEQUENCES OF TREATMENT FOR LATER REACTIONS TO STRANGERS

A rating of the animation of the mother's voice during a pregnancy interview was predictive of the amount and type of stimulation she provided her infant at 1 and 3 mo. of age. This characteristic of the mother was associated mainly with providing social affectionate stimulation of males and stimulation of the distance receptors (visual and auditory) for females. In addition, less well-educated mothers tended to give significantly more physical stimulation to their infants. The amount and type of stimulation the mother gave her infant was, in turn, related to some measures of avoidance behavior toward a stranger obtained on the child toward the end of the 1st yr. of life. Here it was found that early stimulation, particularly of the distance receptors at 3 mo. of age, was significantly related to less avoidance and discomfort toward the stranger. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1969 American Psychological Association.