Protomental synchrony: Some thoughts on the earliest identification processes in a neonate

Abstract

This paper presents an observation of a neonate (seven hours old) with his young mother who is uncertain and slow to respond to her baby. Despite his mother's lack of interest, the baby musters every form of behaviour that could draw in and contact his mother. The perseverance, the specificity and the discrimination of this baby's behaviour are very notable. An instinctual phenomenon between mother and baby(interactional synchrony), which the baby “attempts” to set in motion, is put forward as the earliest protomental relation; one that brings mother and baby into juxtaposition for further identification processes to develop. The nature of this protomental synchrony is explored.