We used Signal Detection methodology to examine how mothers' actual se
nsitivity to infant distress (crying) is influenced by psychosocial fa
ctors. Fifty-five mothers of 4- to 6-month-old infants participated in
a signal detection task in which they were asked whether they could d
etect differences between a standard cry and variants of that cry. Cry
variants differed from the standard cry in small, systematic changes
in fundamental frequency. Home/work conflict, marital happiness, and m
aternal depression predicted sensitivity (the mother's ability to disc
riminate small differences in cries varying in fundamental frequency).
This finding indicates how mothers' psychological state and social en
vironment may affect mother-infant interaction. It also suggests the u
se of intervention strategies which focus on helping mothers attend to
infant signals.