Development of Communication in Infants: Implications for Stimulus Relations Research

Pelaez et al. (2018) wrote a theory paper. They mapped how babies first learn to look, point, and babble. These tiny acts are the bricks that later build language and stimulus-equivalence classes.

The authors say joint attention and eye-gaze are early operants. If we shape them first, later matching-to-sample and derived relations come easier.

The paper does not give new data. Instead it links infant communication milestones to the roots of equivalence training. Eye-gaze is framed as the first ‘mini-mand’ that brings the world closer.

Reid et al. (2005) tested the idea. They showed caregiver imitation right after baby sounds made babies copy those sounds more. This gives the experimental proof that Pelaez only sketched.

Rehfeldt et al. (2005) and McKeel et al. (2017) moved the lens to adults with developmental disabilities. Both teams built taste-picture-word equivalence classes. Their success shows the infant bricks still matter later; you can plug the same logic into PEAK lessons.

Leigh et al. (2015) seem to clash at first. They found joint attention predicts language growth in preschoolers with autism, while Pelaez talks about typical infants. The designs differ, but the core message aligns: teach joint attention early and words follow.

Start programs at the pre-verbal level. Before you run matching-to-sample trials, probe eye-gaze, pointing, and turn-taking. If those operants are weak, spend your first sessions reinforcing looks and shared smiles. You will build the foundation that later makes equivalence, mand, and tact training stick.