joint attention

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Editorial synthesis · provisional

Definition

Joint attention is shared orientation to a common referent through which participants establish a meaningful focus of interaction. RB2’s parent–infant toy example connects this coordination to language and social-norm learning. The proposed subentry preserves the participatory relation, rather than equating it with two observers merely looking in the same direction or possessing identical experiences.

Explanation

The defining example turns a toy into something played with and talked about together. The relevant relation includes the partners’ developing common reference, not only simultaneous sensory exposure to an object. RB2 treats this as a basic case of participatory sense-making within an ongoing developmental interaction.

The surrounding social account locates infancy within smiling, imitation and dialogue. AB likewise describes infant responses affecting both caregiver and child. These contexts support a relational learning interpretation without providing a universal age threshold, developmental test or guarantee that every co-directed gaze already establishes a shared referent.

The next empathy distinction makes the other a partner able to correct interpretation. Joint attention can support common meaning while each partner retains a different perspective and capacity. The entry therefore does not infer total agreement, identical felt states or an absence of misunderstanding merely because an interaction has a shared object.

Scope and attribution

Retain the bounded developmental example without inventing diagnostic thresholds or universal milestones.

RB2 — The Real Book, Volume II: Becoming Is Being

A parent and infant establish a meaningful shared referent in interaction.

Occurrence locators: 58.

Background used in the editorial explanation

Joint attention requires a common referent; general infant response is background.