title: Similarities and differences in contingency experiences of 3-month-olds across sociocultural contexts.
abstract: In this study we analyzed similarities and differences in the contingency experiences of 159 three-month-olds from 6 sociocultural contexts. Across contexts, caretakers responded with similar overall contingency levels, vocalizations provided the dominant response as well as the most salient signal, and there was a relative signal-response correspondence. With two exceptions, infants in all samples most often got responses addressing their sense of hearing, followed by the sense of touch and then sight. In response to nondistress vocalizations, infants from independent contexts (Berlin, Los Angeles) experienced more contingent responses addressing their sense of sight than infants from autonomous-related (Beijing, Delhi, urban Nso from Cameroon) or interdependent contexts (rural Nso). Rural Nso infants experienced more contingent responses addressing their sense of touch than infants from all other but the Los Angeles sample. These results support the interpretation of contingent responsiveness as a part of the intuitive parenting program that manifests differentially depending on culture-specific emphases on distal and proximal caretaking.
authors.affiliation: University of Osnabrück, Germany. joscha.kaertner@uni-osnabrueck.de
authors.forename: Joscha
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kärtner
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lamm
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abels
authors.forename: Relindis D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Yovsi
authors.forename: Nandita
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chaudhary
authors.forename: Yanjie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Su
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations / Q000208:ethnology; D012919:Social Behavior; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors