Psychosocial Development in Infancy.

Abstract

JLN THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER, THE BEHAVIOR AND EXPERIence of the infant from birth to about two years of age were explored. The regularities and variabilities of infant development were presented normatively. Age was the principal source of anchoring the various facts about infancy in a fashion which permitted an answer to the question, "What is the baby like at this age and what can he do?" General behavioral development during the course of infancy was described. For convenience of presentation, the infant was examined almost as if he existed in isolation, not, as is always the case, in a matrix of other persons. Actually, all of the behavior repertoire of infants which has been reported took place in a social setting. Many of the behavioral items can be modified, accelerated, and retarded by the persons who served as the agents of socialization. The infant is now to be examined in this social setting. The mother as the agent of socializationVarious persons serve as agents of socialization. As indicated in Chapter 4 the first and most important of these agents is the mother or mother surrogate. The most obvious thing about the behavior of 222