Communicating with Others: Vertical Development

Children's Social-Communicative Abilities Development

1. Development Directions

• Vertical Development

  • Hierarchical nature increases with age and cognitive understanding

2. Intentionality Stages

• Perlocutionary Stage (Birth to 8-9 months)

  • Non-intentional communication; adults interpret baby’s expressions.

• Illocutionary Stage (9-10 months)

  • Intentional behaviors to gain adult attention; joint attention established.

• Locutionary Stage (13-18 months)

  • Use of words to communicate desires; strong developing intentionality.

3. Joint Attention and Social Referencing

• Ability to look at what others are looking at to understand mutual focus.

• Social referencing: interpreting caregiver's expressions to guide responses.

4. Early Requests

• Types of early requests:

  • Request for an object

  • Request/invitation: invite adults to share in play or games

  • Request/recruit: ask for adult's help to achieve a goal (e.g., opening a container)

• Progression from gestures to verbal requests as the child ages

  • Direct request: "Gimme that!"

  • Indirect request: "Why don’t you open this, mom?"

  • Hints: "I haven’t played with bubbles in a while."