A Re-Examination of the Infant Social World

Abstract

Social developmentalists have traditionally viewed infants as passive recipients of social stimulation, limited to significant relationships only with their mothers. Recent evidence suggests that this notion is incorrect on both counts. Infants are shown to be active participants in their interactions with other persons. Furthermore, infants have, or are capable of, relationships with fathers, siblings, and peers. Other examples of social sophistication are discussed. It is concluded that progress in the understanding of socioper-sonality development will be achieved only when the competence of infants and the multi-dimensionality of the infant social world are acknowledged.