| It is now widely accepted that sensitivity to goal-directed actions emerges during the first year of life. However, controversy still surrounds the question of how this sensitivity emerges and develops. One set of views emphasizes the role of observing behavioral cues, while another emphasizes the role of experience with producing own action. We propose to contrast these two theoretical approaches by investigating the onset of goal-directed interpretation, the range of entities to which infants are willing to attribute goals, and the role the suggested influencing factors (abstract behavioral cues vs. experience play) play in generating such interpretations. |
