ABSTRACT

During his years at the Max Planck Institute, the focus of Hanuš Papoušek's attention turned to research on processes of parent-infant interaction and the development of a theory of Intuitive Parenting, building on his previous emphasis on infant behaviors and mental processes. Developed in close collaboration with his wife Mechthild, the documentation and elaboration of this theory became a lasting accomplishment of Papoušek's scientific career. This chapter explores the major concepts of their Intuitive Parenting theory, its main assumptions and components, and some of the empirical studies carried out to support these ideas. Chapter 8 explores the various ways in which these concepts led to practical applications in more recent years.