| Abstract: | Observed the interpersonal behavior of 54 mothers and their preschoolers (aged 30–58 mo) and infants (aged 10–20 mo) using a multi-element baseline design to explore the older siblings' potential to act as subsidiary attachment figures for the infant. Female adults were employed as strangers. All possible dyadic and triadic combinations of mother, child, infant, and stranger were observed. Interpersonal exchanges of attachment, affiliation, fear/wariness, and coordinated play were recorded. Incidences of solitary and parallel play were also coded. Results indicate that (a) 52% of older siblings reassured and comforted their younger siblings in the absence of the mother; (b) older brothers were most active in caring for younger sisters, and older sisters in caring for younger brothers; (c) older brothers tended to match equitably the infants' requests for care, whereas older sisters tended to give far more care than was sought; thus boys seemed to use a strategy that previous researchers found to be common for fathers, and girls used one common for mothers. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
