Three-point gaze is a developmental milestone in children characterized by their ability to coordinate their attention back and forth between a person and shared objects of attention. This sophisticated form of shared attention signifies a child's developing social-cognitive skills, indicating they can follow and direct attention in a triangular pattern.
Understanding Three-Point Gaze
This gaze pattern is a crucial component of joint attention, where an individual coordinates their attention with another person to a third entity. For young children, it typically involves:
- Person (e.g., an adult)
- Object (e.g., a toy)
- The child's own attention
The "three points" refer to the child's attention moving sequentially between these elements.
Key Characteristics and Examples
As per research by Bakeman & Adamson (1984), three-point gaze shifts demonstrate a child's capacity for coordinated attention. Here are its primary characteristics:
- Coordinated Attention: It involves a deliberate and responsive back-and-forth movement of a child's gaze.
- Shared Focus: The attention is shared between a person and an object, indicating an understanding that both individuals are attending to the same thing.
- Sequential Shifting: The gaze shifts occur in a sequence involving all three elements.
Common Examples of Three-Point Gaze Shifts:
- Adult → Toy → Adult: A child looks at an adult, then follows the adult's gaze or gesture to a shared toy, and then looks back at the adult to check their reaction or confirm shared interest.
- Toy → Adult → Toy: A child might look at a toy, then look at an adult to signal interest or to share their engagement with the toy, and then return their gaze to the toy.
Developmental Significance
Children generally begin to demonstrate these three-point gaze shifts by approximately thirteen months of age. This ability is a significant indicator of a child's emerging social communication skills and their understanding of others' intentions and interests. It lays the groundwork for more complex social interactions, language development, and learning through observation and shared experiences.
