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THE MEANING OF INFANT EMOTIONAL EXPRESSIONS: REGULARITIES IN CAREGIVING RESPONSES IN NORMAL AND DOWN'S SYNDROME INFANTS
Author(s) -
Sorce James F.,
Emde Robert N.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
journal of child psychology and psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.652
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1469-7610
pISSN - 0021-9630
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7610.1982.tb00059.x
Subject(s) - psychology , meaning (existential) , developmental psychology , psychotherapist
SUMMARY In two studies, photographs of facial expressions of normal and Down's syndrome infants were viewed by mothers who recognized discrete emotions and reported regularities in caregiving associated with these emotions. Stimulating interactions were reported more frequently for high intensity expressions than for low intensity expressions. While these regularities held for both groups of infants, high intensity expressions were less frequent in the Down's group. The biological mothers of Down's infants seemingly compensated by reporting more stimulating interventions in response to their infants' low intensity expressions. Mothers who were unfamiliar with both groups of infants did not evidence this compensatory adjustment.