Human Development Reprint Editors: W. Edelstein, Berlin; J.A. Meacham, Buffalo, N.Y.; H. Sinclair, Geneva Publisher: S. Karger AG, Basel Printed in Switzerland Original Papers Hum. Dev. 30: 1-17 (1987) © 1987 S. Karger AG, Basel 0018-716X/87/0301-0001$2. 1510 Infant Intentionality and the Attribution of Intentions to Infants Dankert Vedeler I Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden Key Words. Action · Attribution · Communication · Infant development · Intention · Interpersonal perception · Social interaction Abstract. The issue is discussed whether or not parental attribution of intentions to infants is a pretense. This issue cannot be investigated if it is meant to be a question whether or not the infant has the specific intentions attributed to it. Problems connected with the usual description of intentionality in terms of goal-directedness are discussed. It is proposed that instead the intentionality of behavior be described in terms of object-directedness, a concept central to the philosophical concept of intentionality. The object-directedness of an infant's behavior is hypothesized to elicit the parent's perception of infant intentionality. Parental attribution of infant intentions is proposed to be considered a pretense only in the absence of object-directedness in the behavior of the infant. Introduction Infant research has been founded on a reevaluation of the interplay between parent and infant. The infant has been revealed to be much more competent and active in so- cial interaction than formerly believed. In- fants regulate the interaction through differ- ent signals indicating both the level of inter- est for the parent and the infant's interest for engaging in interaction. In a successful inter- 1 The author is indebted to a great number of peo- ple (including two anonymous reviewers) for com- ments and discussions on earlier versions of this paper and to some of them for English language cor- rections. An earlier version of this paper was pre- sented at the meeting of the International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development in Munich. action the parent is sensitive to these signals and modifies his or her behavior according- ly, thus making the conditions favorable for reciprocity in the interaction [Brazelton et al., 1974]. Parent and infant are in a sense equal partners in the interaction. Not only does the parent adjust his or her behavior to the signals of the infant, the infant also Jfresponds appropriately. Already during the first month the infant can both engage in a conjoint action with the parent and alternate in a mutual activity. Bateson [ 197 5] has observed tum-taking in vocalization between mother and infant. Kaye [1977], Fogel [1977], Stern [1974] and Stern et al. [ 1977] have demonstrated a com- plex relationship between gaze direction, vo- calizations and facial expressions in both