Illustration of bootstrapping in the FFSF

Daniel Messinger, Marygrace Yale Kaiser, Alan Cobo-Lewis, & Peter

MundySupported by NICHD 38336 & 41619 &

The Positive Psychology Foundation

Events as unit of analysis

Unit of association = Patterns of actions (e.g., B1 & B2)

B1 B2

SMILE

GAZE

Overlapping behaviors create an expressive signal dependent on how they are patterned in time Beyond duration of co-occurrence

Generic Observed Patterns

– A BEFORE B. E.g., Smile before Gaze

A smile which begins before and ends within a gaze at parent’s face.

– A IN B. E.g., Smile in Gaze

A smile which begins and ends within a gaze at parent’s face.

– B BEFORE A. E.g., Gaze before Smile

A gaze at parent which begins before and ends within a smile.

– B IN A. E.g., Gaze in Smile

A gaze at parent’s face which begins and ends within a smile.

Expressions

Gazes

SM

Take Observed Pattern

SM

No SmilesGazesAway

Gazes at Mom Smiles

SM

SM

Separate into Observed Behaviors

Time

Smile in Gaze

Simulation Procedure

To Create Simulated Pattern

Smile

Gaze

SM SM

No SmilesGazesAway

Gazes at Mom Smiles

SM

SM

Observed Behaviors

Time

Use observed behaviors to create simulated sequences

Gaze

Observed Pattern

Smile SMSM

Z = (Observed – Simulated)/SDS

Smile in Gaze!

Simulation indicates patterns not due to chance

Simulated Random Pattern

SMSMSmile

Gaze

Time

Subtract

Repeat 2000 times.

Study 1: Early infant communication

• Facial expressions (smiles & frowns)

• Vocalizations (non-reflexive vocalizations)

• Gaze direction (gazing at parent’s face & other)

• 40 infants at 3- & 6-months of age in modified face-to-face/still-face

Facial Expression

Vocalization Gaze--?--

•Yale, Messinger, Cobo-Lewis, et al. (1999; in press, Developmental Psychology) •12 & 40 infants at 3- & 6-months of age in modified face-to-face/still-face

Facial expression & vocalization

Facial expressions encompass vocalizations in a pattern that does not change with age or expression - replicated

Facial Expression

Vocalization

-0.50

-0.25

0.00

0.25

0.50

0.75

SMILESFROWNS

Mea

n z-

scor

e

Voc-In-

Face

Voc-Before-

Face

Face-Before-

Voc

Face-In-

Voc

Facial expressions and gaze

Facial expressions – especially smiles - begin during gazes at parent’s face

– Stronger with age & smile

Facial Expression

Gaze

-0.50

-0.25

0.00

0.25

0.50

0.75

Face-Before-Gaze

Face-In-

Voc

Gaze-Before-

Face

Gaze-In-

Face

Mea

n z-

scor

e

Vocalization & Gaze

Vocalizations and gazes at parent were not coordinated in time

Vocalization Gaze--?---0.50

-0.25

0.00

0.25

0.50

0.75

Voc-In-

Gaze

Voc-Before-Gaze

Gaze-In-

Voc

Gaze-Before-

Voc

Mea

n z-

scor

e

Centrality of facial expressions

Facial expressions - both smiles and frowns - begin during gazes at parent’s face

Facial expressions encompass vocalizations

Vocalizations and gazes at parent were not coordinated in time

Dynamic formation of patterns

Communicative package is not pre-formed, but emerges through two links

Gaze at parent’s face sets the stage:

for a facial expression into which a vocalization

is likely to be inserted

Communicative signal dynamically assembles in real-time

Facial Expression

Vocalization Gaze--?--

Development of timing?Smile in gaze Smile after gaze

3 months

Mea

n z-

scor

es

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

6 monthsSMILESFROWNS

Face-Before-Gaze

Face-In-

Gaze

Gaze-Before-

Face

Gaze-In-

Face

Face-Before-Gaze

Face-In-

Gaze

Gaze-Before-

Face

Gaze-In-

Face