Infant-directed Action on Infants’ Preference and Learning

Adults often modify their speech, gesture, sign language, and action when interacting with infants relative to adults. Some of these forms of infant-directed communication have been tied to infant preferences and learning, but infant-directed action has yet to be investigated. The purpose of the present study was to test whether infant-directed action impacts infants’ preferences and learning. Forty-eight 8 to 10 month old infants and their caregivers participated in a laboratory session during which caregivers demonstrated stimuli to infants using infantdirected action or a static presentation. Infants’ preferences were investigated through touches and looks to stimuli. Results indicate that infants appear to prefer infant-directed action and make stimulus-action associations, indicating that infant-directed action is indeed parallel to other forms of infant-directed communication.