Opportunities for learning and social interaction in infant sitting: Effects of sitting support,sitting skill,and gross motor delay

The development of independent sitting changes everyday opportunities for learning and has cascading effects on cognitive and language development. Prior to independent sitting, infants experience the sitting position with physical support from caregivers. Why does supported sitting not provide the same input for learning that is experienced in independent sitting? This question is especially relevant for infants with gross motor delay, who require support in sitting for many months after typically developing infants sit independently. We observed infants with typical development (n = 34, ages 4–7 months) and infants with gross motor delay (n = 128, ages 7–16 months) in early stages of sitting development, and their caregivers, in a dyadic play observation. We predicted that infants who required caregiver support for sitting would spend more time facing away from the caregiver and less time contacting objects than infants who could sit independently. We also predicted that caregivers of supported sitters would spend less time contacting objects because their hands would be full supporting their infants. Our first two hypotheses were confirmed; however, caregivers spent surprisingly little time using both hands to provide support, and caregivers of supported sitters spent more time contacting objects than caregivers of independent sitters. Similar patterns were seen in the group of typically developing infants and the infants with motor delay. Our findings suggest that independent sitting and supported sitting provide qualitatively distinct experiences with different implications for social interaction and learning opportunities.

Highlights

• During seated free play, supported sitters spent more time facing away from their caregivers and less time handling objects than independent sitters.
• Caregivers who spent more time supporting infants with both hands spent less time handling objects; however, caregivers mostly supported infants with one or no hands.
• A continuous measure of sitting skill did not uniquely contribute to these behaviors beyond the effect of binary sitting support (supported vs. independent sitter).
• The pattern of results was similar for typically developing infants and infants with gross motor delay, despite differences in age.

     

Listening to Somatosensory States in Psychoanalysis: Body,Trauma, and Poetry

ABSTRACT

The author starts from the apparently outdated James-Lange theory of emotion to rediscover elements of modernity for contemporary psychoanalysis: from James’ bodily-sensory dimension to Damasio’s “feeling of what happens,” to Bucci’s attention to the patient’s visceral narrative in session. William James stated that bodily sensations are the first elements on the path toward consciousness. Damasio emphasizes that “Consciousness is rooted in the representation of the body”. Bucci presents a framework for identifying linkages between bodily and symbolic states and to observe the various degrees of patients’ “visceral speech” in session. These parallels support a sensibility to listen to language as the voice of the body: the relationship between the patient’s narrative and the bodily-sensory dimension can be grasped through the patient’s “imagery” which may reference earlier somatic experience. Particular emphasis is given to the story-telling of trauma.     

Suicidal Behavior: Toward an Explanation of Differences in Female and Male Rates

ABSTRACT: The explanation of sex differences is based on Breed's five “components of a basic suicide syndrome” which appears to be a satisfactory model for explaining male suicide. Thus far it has not been used to explain female suicidal behavior and sex differences in attempts. It appears that if sex differences are noted the model is adequate. This is because the same factors affect the sexes differently; the content and structure of the roles are different. Failure for males is obvious, but the female role is diffuse and lacking in standards for both success and failure. Female commitment to role and cultural goals is not less, just different and diffuse. Rigidity of roles varies but male goals are usually more specific. Shame, when men do blame themselves, is in the context of a narrow role. Contrary to popular belief, isolation of men is probably greater than that of women.     

Impact of Androgynous and Traditional Sex-Role Orientations on Evaluations of Successful Performance

This study examined the impact of subjects'sex-role orientation (either traditional or androgynous) on their evaluations of successful women or men in sex-linked occupations. The hypothesis that sex-typed subjects would respond less negatively to success when the successful person was in an occupation consistent with sex stereotypes, while androgynous subjects would be more concerned with success, was not supported by the results. Significant effects of subject sex as well as sex-role orientation, and of cue character and occupation, were found tor various measures. The differences between these findings and those of earlier studies are discussed.