Joint attention enables infants to communicate with adults as well as with each other, sharing what is in their minds. Yet, communicative competence and joint attention between infant peers have received little attention in the literature. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how infants under the age of two within a childcare setting communicate with each other through joint attention and social understanding during daily interactions. Findings indicated that infants utilized various communicative means, intentional pointing, and joint attention in order to share their experience with each other, develop social understanding, and enjoy social joint play. This study also suggests that conflicts between infants can be a fundamental vehicle for developing social understanding and joint play activity.
BerthelsenD (2009) Participatory learning: Issue for research and practice. In: BerthelsenDBrownleeJJohanssonE (eds) Participatory Learning in the Early Years: Research and Pedagogy. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 1–11.
2.
BrownellCBrownE (1992) Peers and play in infants and toddler. In: Van HasseltVHersenM (eds) Handbook of Social Development. New York: Plenum, 183–200.
3.
BrownleeJBerthelsenD (2009) Beliefs about toddlers’ learning in child care programs in Australia. In: BerthelsenDBrownleeJJohanssonE (eds) Participatory Learning in the Early Years: Research and Pedagogy. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 93–108.
4.
CamaioniLPerucchiniPBellagambaFColonnesiC (2004) The role of declarative pointing in developing a theory of mind. Infancy5(3): 291–308.
5.
CarpendaleJLewisC (2004) Constructing an understanding of mind: The development of children’s social understanding within social interaction. Behavioral and Brain Sciences27: 79–151.
6.
CarpenterMNagellKTomeselloM (1998) Social cognition, joint attention, and communicative competence from 9 to 15 months of age. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development63(4): 1–176.
7.
DunhamPMooreC (1995) Current themes in research on joint attention. In: MooreCDunhamPJ (eds) Joint Attention: Its Origins and Role in Development. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum, 15–28.
8.
EckermanCO (1993) Imitation and toddlers’ achievement of coordinated action with others. In: NadelJCamaioniL (eds) New Perspectives in Early Communicative Development. London: Routledge, 116–156.
9.
EckermanCOPetermanK (2001) Peers and infant social/communicative development. In: BremnerGFogelA (eds) Blackwell Handbook of Infant Development. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 326–350.
10.
EckermanCODavisCCDidowSM (1989) Toddlers’ emerging ways of achieving social coordinations with a peer. Child Development60: 440–453.
HayDRossH (1982) The social nature of early conflict. Child Development53: 105–113.
13.
HowesC (1983) Patters of friendship. Child Development54: 1041–1053.
14.
HowesC (1988) Peer interaction of young children, Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development48(217): 1–88.
15.
KempleKM (1991) Research in review: Preschool children’s peer acceptance and social interaction. Young Children46(5): 47–54.
16.
LeeSY (2006) A journey to a close, secure, and synchronous relationship: Infant-caregiver relationship development in a childcare context. Journal of Early Childhood Research4(2): 133–151.
17.
LiszkowskiUCarpenterMHenningAStrianoTTomaselloM (2004) Twelve-month-olds point to share attention and interest. Developmental Science7(3): 297–307.
MundyPNewellL (2007) Attention, joint attention, and social cognition. Current Directions in Psychological Science16(5): 269–274.
20.
SaxonTFColumboJRobinsonEEFrickJE (2000) Dyadic interaction profiles in infancy and preschool intelligence. Journal of School Psychology38(1): 9–25.
21.
ShinM (2010) Peeking at the relationship world of infant friends and caregivers. Journal of Early Childhood Research8(3): 294–302.
22.
SlomkowskiCDunnJ (1996) Young children’s understanding of other people’s beliefs and feelings and their connected communication with friends. Developmental Psychology32(3): 442–447.
23.
SternD (2000) The Interpersonal World of the Infant: A View from Psychoanalysis and Development Psychology. New York: Basic Books.
24.
SternDN (1977/2002) The First Relationship: Infant and Mother. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
25.
TomaselloM (1995) Joint attention as social cognition. In: MooreCDunhamPJ (eds) Joint Attention: Its Origins and Role in Development. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum, 103–130.
26.
TomaselloMFarrarMJ (1986) Joint attention and early language. Child Development57: 1454–1463.
27.
WittmerDSPetersenSH (2010) Infant and Toddler Development and Responsive Program Planning: Relationship-based Approach, 2nd edn.Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
