A Comparison of the Mother's and a Stranger's Control over the Behavior of Infants

CORTER, CARL M. A Comparison of the Mother's and a Stranger's Control over the Behavior of Infants. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1973, 44, 705-713. 10-month-old infants were placed in a test room under 3 conditions: with the mother, an adult female stranger, or both, present in adjoining rooms. The infants generally directed their social responses more to the mother than to the stranger; they followed her almost exclusively, although they looked and smiled less selectively. The mother's presence also delayed crying. The stranger did not increase crying but instead evoked looking, some smiling, and delayed the infant's following his mother. The findings affirm that following is one of the responses comprising the infant's attachment to his mother, but also suggest that the tie need not imply fear of a stranger since the stranger evoked exploration more than distress.