Communicative Mediation by Adults in the Construction of Symbolic Uses by Infants

Abstract

Adult semiotic mediation in the origin and evolution of the first symbolic uses of objects by infants in contexts of triadic interactions was investigated. Six infant-parent dyads interacting together with ten objects were observed longitudinally from 9 to 15 months of age, with an interval of three months between each observation. The communicative mediators used by adults, in the form of demonstrations and ostensive gestures, decrease as infants grow up. The orchestration of these semiotic mediators also decreases and the functions of the demonstrations change. At the beginning, the adults use them merely to demonstrate the symbolic uses of object, but later they use them to evaluate, complete or correct the symbolic uses by the infants. The semiotic mediators are first used to guide the child at the level of attention and later at the level of cultural practices of symbolic uses of objects. These changes in communicative mediators and their functions reveal the educational role of adults through adjustment in communication, always in tune with the infant's knowledge and performance.

On perception as the basis for object concepts

“…However, both spoons have the same canonical function and, therefore, have equal functional meanings. Somewhere else, one of us proposed that functional categories have a normative structure that guide action (Rodríguez & Moro 1999, see also Palacios et al 2018). From this perspective, then, to use an object by its canonical function would enable new forms of interaction, reasoning, action planning and communication for the child.…”

“…The appropriation of the canonical uses of objects has other meaningful consequences. For example, towards the end of the first year of life children perform their first symbolic behaviours (Palacios et al 2018). We are referring to the symbolic uses of objects.…”

“…This kind of similarity between uses of objects is significant for the development of symbols and metaphorical thinking (seeAlessandroni 2017;Palacios & Rodríguez 2015;Palacios et al 2018).…”

On perception as the basis for object concepts: a critical analysis

“…However, both spoons have the same canonical function and, therefore, have equal functional meanings. Somewhere else, one of us proposed that functional categories have a normative structure made up of conditional rules (i.e., if x, then y; if 'telephone', then 'put the speaker close to the ear and talk') that guide action (Rodríguez & Moro, 1999, p. 255, see also Palacios & Rodríguez 2015Palacios et al, 2018). From this perspective, then, to use an object by its canonical function would enable new forms of reasoning, action planning and communication for the child.…”

“…In addition, the appropriation of objects' canonical uses has meaningful consequences for cognitive development. For example, towards the end of the first year of life children perform their first symbolic behaviours (Palacios et al, 2016(Palacios et al, , 2018. We are referring to the symbolic uses of objects.…”