Social inferences when observing tactile interactions - a developmental approach

We are looking for students for a Master internship (M1 or M2) to study the social inferences linked to tactile interactions, during development. Social touch is crucial for development and well-being. It is one of the most effective ways of communicating emotions and is a marker of affiliative social relationships in many species, particularly primates. Infants respond to social touch from an early age. However, very little research has been done on the early ontogeny of social touch perception through observation. The present project has two aims: (i) to assess whether infants and young children draw inferences about social relationships from observing tactile interactions, and (ii) to study the structure of inferences about affiliation in the first years of life. The student will participate in the design and conduct of experiments with children and infants, as well as in the analysis and interpretation of the data.