The Sequential Change in Mother-Infant Joint Attention - A Hypothesis Generated From an Analysis of the Quantity and Contents of Verbal Communication -

Mother-infant joint attention has an important role in cognitive development and development of self-image. The cultural context and the context of the situation in mother-infant interaction are significantly linked to joint attention. The present study investigated how a mother\u27s verbal communication changed according to the child\u27s age, language understanding, and the situation of the interaction with the child, through a longitudinal case study within an international marriage. The mother\u27s use of language focusing on the names and the features of toys increased when the child was aged from 15 months and her use of language focusing on the child\u27s actions increased from the age of 22months. Results from episodic analysis showed that the mother changed the length and the tone of what she said according to the child\u27s language development. The mother considered what she said and how she spoke in order to guide the child\u27s understanding of language