Affect Attunement during Mother-Infant Interaction: How Specific Intensities Predict the Stability of Infants' Coordinated Joint Attention Skills

Abstract

Associations between mother-infant affect attunement (AA) at 6 and 9 months and infant coordinated joint attention (CJA) at 12 months were examined. Fifteen dyads were videotaped at 6, 9, and 12 months during object-mediated play interactions. Videotapes were coded for intensity of matched AA at 6 and 9 months. Low-intensity affect matches at 6 and 9 months were positively associated with CJA; whereas moderate-intensity affect matches had a negative association. Results suggest shared, pleasurable, low-intensity emotional states support social-cognitive development; whereas moderate-intensity AA may be a hindrance. Between 6 and 9 months, AA may shift from understanding others' emotions to understanding others' attentions; and mutual regulation of low-intensity emotional states may facilitate infant processing capabilities.