The infants reasctions to loss of a caregiver's exclusive attention

This study examined 36 childcare infants’ reactions to loss of exclusive attention. Infants attended both high and low quality state licensed childcare centers. Infants were videotaped while their caregiver played with a peer from the same class and while their caregiver played with a musical book. In both episodes, caregivers ignored the target infant. During episodes of caregiver and stimulus infant, the target infants attending high quality centers versus low quality centers demonstrated more instances of gaze and distress. These results provide partial support for past findings on infant behaviors during instance of unresponsiveness in mothers.