Cited by 749Child and Animal Learning DevelopmentLanguage Development and DisordersAction Observation and Synchronization

Gaze Following in Human Infants Depends on Communicative Signals

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Senju, Atsushi, Csibra, Gergely·2008·Current Biology

Abstract

Humans are extremely sensitive to ostensive signals, like eye contact or having their name called, that indicate someone's communicative intention toward them [1-3]. Infants also pay attention to these signals [4-6], but it is unknown whether they appreciate their significance in the initiation of communicative acts. In two experiments, we employed video presentation of an actor turning toward one of two objects and recorded infants' gaze-following behavior [7-13] with eye-tracking techniques [11, 12]. We found that 6-month-old infants followed the adult's gaze (a potential communicative-referential signal) toward an object only when such an act is preceded by ostensive cues such as direct gaze (experiment 1) and infant-directed speech (experiment 2). Such a link between the presence of ostensive signals and gaze following suggests that this behavior serves a functional role in assisting infants to effectively respond to referential communication directed to them. Whereas gaze following in many nonhuman species supports social information gathering [14-18], in humans it initially appears to reflect the expectation of a more active, communicative role from the information source.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.cub.2008.03.059

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Authors
Senju, A., & Csibra, G.
Affiliations
Birkbeck, University of London (GB)
Corresponding author
Senju, Atsushi
Venue
Current Biology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2008-05
Volume
18
Issue
9
Pages
668-671
ISSN
0960-9822 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2125270257
Cited by
749
References
35
Citations by year
2026: 40 · 2025: 37 · 2024: 68 · 2023: 43 · 2022: 45 · 2021: 37 · 2020: 86 · 2019: 37 · 2018: 42 · 2017: 45 · 2016: 38 · 2015: 42 · 2014: 43 · 2013: 45 · 2012: 35
FWCI
37.49
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Current Biology (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • BIROn (Birkbeck, University of London) (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • Medical Research Council
  • Economic and Social Research Council (ES/E003788/1)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Child and Animal Learning Development
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Language Development and Disorders
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Action Observation and Synchronization
Keywords
gaze following, infant social cognition, ostensive communication, referential communication, direct gaze, infant-directed speech, communicative intention, 6-month-old infants
MeSH terms
Attention, Communication, Eye Movements, Female, Humans, Imitative Behavior, Infant, Male, Infant Behavior

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