Joint Attention in Brazilian Infants: An Eye-Tracking Study from a Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Background

This thesis explores the early development of Joint Attention (JA), with a focus on its responsive form (RJA), in infants from socioeconomically disadvantaged Brazilian contexts. Grounded in a neuroconstructivist framework, the study examines how early-life experiences and environmental influences shape developmental trajectories, with particular attention to non-WEIRD populations. Through an International Service Learning (ISL) experience in Brazil, a project with dual aims was implemented. Using an experimental paradigm previously validated in Italy and implemented on Labvanced via a webcam-based eye-tracking system, a research project investigates the presence of RJA behaviours in Brazilian infants. The results confirm that a cognitive process as universal as RJA is indeed present in non-WEIRD samples as well, although with some differences in attentional performances compared to the WEIRD sample tested on the same task. Specifically, Brazilian children exhibited more diffuse attentional strategies, potentially influenced by their cultural and environmental context. In parallel, an educational project engaged caregivers through psychoeducational meetings aimed at increasing awareness and sensitivity around the importance of fostering healthy and psychological wellness stimulating environments during these crucial early stages of development. The findings challenge the universality of WEIRD-based developmental assumptions, highlighting the need for culturally inclusive research practices. They also emphasize the importance of integrating community engagement with academic research, recognizing that the production of new knowledge must go hand in hand with the social responsibility we bear in generating it.