JOURNAL ARTICLE

The Emergence of Positive Affect: The Development of Interactive Smiling with Mothers, Fathers, and Strangers (Updated December 24, 2025).

  • Published In: Psychology & Psychiatry Journal, 2026. P. 626 1 of 2

  • Database: Psychology Source 2 of 2

Abstract

The article focuses on research examining the dynamics of social smiling between infants and adults during face-to-face interactions. The study involved 58 infants interacting with their mothers, fathers, and a stranger at 4 and 8 months of age, revealing that infants typically smile less frequently and end smiles more often than adults. Notably, 8-month-old infants showed an increased tendency to initiate smiles compared to 4-month-olds, indicating developmental changes in social engagement. The findings highlight the context-dependent nature of infant smiling and suggest that infants exhibit selective responsiveness, particularly favoring smiles from their mothers over strangers. [Extracted from the article]

Additional Information

  • Source:Psychology & Psychiatry Journal. 2026/01, p626
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Language and Linguistics
  • Publication Date:2026
  • ISSN:1944-2718
  • Accession Number:190619539
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