Babies Point to Share Attention, Not Just to Ask, New Research Finds
Translated & summarized from Kikar HaShabbat by baba
New research indicates that babies often point at objects not just to request them, but to share attention with their caregivers. Studies from Spain, Germany, and Israel highlight how this "joint attention" is crucial for language development and caregiver-infant interaction. Even newborns show sensitivity to pointing gestures, suggesting an innate awareness of shared focus that precedes verbal communication.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Babies point to share attention with caregivers, not solely to make requests, research shows.
- This "joint attention" is a key developmental milestone observed from 8 months old.
- Shared attention facilitates language acquisition when parents align speech with infant interests.
- Israeli research shows mothers increasingly name objects as infants point more.
- Sensitivity to pointing gestures may begin in newborns, even before they can point.
- The act of sharing a moment is more important than the quantity of words exchanged.
A significant moment in infant communication, often overlooked by parents, occurs when a baby stops playing, points at an object or event, and then looks at their caregiver, not the object itself. This gesture, researchers explain, is not always a request for the item but a bid to share attention and ensure the caregiver is also observing. This concept is known as "joint attention."
A 2026 study from Valencia, Spain, observed infants at 8, 12, and 18 months, analyzing these moments of shared attention. The findings indicated that as infants grew, these complex joint attention gestures became more frequent, signifying a developing awareness of their caregiver's gaze and engagement with the world.
This shared attention is crucial for language development. A 2026 study at the University of Göttingen, Germany, found that when parents' speech aligned with what their 18-month-old infants were already looking at during free play, the infants remained more focused. This suggests that language acquisition is facilitated when parents respond to the child's current interests, building upon the child's initiated focus.
Israeli research from Gordon College in Haifa and Ashkelon Academic College, published in 2024, tracked 11 and 13-month-old infants and their mothers. Researchers observed that as infants began pointing more, mothers were more likely to name objects and provide additional information, demonstrating a reciprocal learning process where parents learn to interpret their infants' gestures.
While not every instance of pointing requires an enthusiastic response, caregivers can foster this communication by looking in the same direction, offering a brief verbalization, a smile, or a short sentence. The essence lies in the connection and the shared moment of discovery, rather than the quantity of words.
Intriguingly, sensitivity to pointing may begin even before infants can point themselves. A 2026 international study involving researchers from Italy and the University of British Columbia showed five-day-old newborns a pointing hand versus a closed fist. The newborns looked longer at the pointing hand, but only when it was directed at a target, suggesting an early attentiveness to how humans direct each other's attention, long before verbal language emerges.