A Descriptive Analysis of Infant Attentiveness in Structured Group Music Classes

Descriptive analyses are an important method for quantifying interactions and inferring variables that affect human behavior (Ndoro, Hanley, Tiger, & Heal, 2006). Such analyses have informed classroom instruction for preschoolers by showing that they are more compliant with instructions stated positively (as in "do") than negatively (as in "don't"). Attentional responses of preschoolers under naturalistic classroom conditions have also been described (McKerchar & Thompson, 2004). Analysis of infant group behavior is rare in this body of literature.The research literature has seldom described the development of attentiveness in structured group activities for infants or young toddlers. Research on children between birth and age 2 years has primarily been conducted through individual observation, analyzing mother-infant paired interactions or observing small groups of infants in independent play (Walworth, 2009). Such research shows the following developmental sequence for learning. Between 2 to 6 months of age, the normally developing infant focuses intently on visual stimuli and will demonstrate endogenous attention or alternate attention between two fixed stimuli. At 6 months of age, bursts of these rapid eye shifts occur just prior to discriminative learning (Columbo, 2001).At 1 year of age, infant cognition is multidimensional and characterized by visual recognition, memory, attention, and speed or reaction time to stimuli (Hsu & Rovee-Collier, 2006). Previously, absence of research with very young infants had led experts to believe that around 6 months of age a shift occurred in infant learning with the child moving from passive awareness of environmental stimuli to the ability to interact and discriminate. Recent research in memory processing shows that infant cognition is multidimensional and a continuous process from birth through the second year of life that is irrespective of task, whether operant learning or imitation of others (Hsu & Rovee-Collier, 2006). Causal knowledge and predictive inference are apparent from 8 months of age (Sobel & Kirkham, 2006). Like adults, infants develop preference after repeated exposure to both visual stimuli (Houston-Price, Burton, Hickinson, lnett, Moore, Salmon, & Shiba, 2009) and auditory stimuli (Trainor & Heinmiller, 1998). The fundamental mechanisms of learning are the same from birth through the second year of life; therefore, the importance of early experience on cognitive development has increased with emphasis on multidimensional opportunity for learning. Research also shows that early learning has tremendous positive impact on long-term developmental outcomes (Sylva & Wiltshire, 1993; Williams, Ontai, & Mastergeorge, 2006).The child development literature emphasizes the importance of the mother's physical proximity to the child (Evans & Porter, 2009), especially in novel learning situations (Sroufe & Waters, 1977). Though infants and toddlers have a strong inclination to explore their environments, they usually seek consistent touch contact with the mother from birth to age 1 year. After the child has developed the ability to walk, greater time is spent out of physical contact with the parent. Even in situations where children appear comfortable, those between 1 and 2 years have been observed to return to the parent often for reassurance through touch and physical proximity (Sroufe & Waters, 1977). Caregiver participation in structured activities with infants and toddlers is, therefore, assumed to promote comfort and increase learning.In group free-play situations, children under 2 years of age spend time observing and interacting with their peers (Geismar-Ryan, 1986). This desire to socialize and interact with their peers is affected by the situation and the presence or absence of toys. Such interactions promote learning through exploration, imitation, and socialization (Williams, Ontai, & Mastergeorge, 2006). …