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What is the name of the experimental task in which an infant interacts with an adult who first engages in normal social interaction and then suddenly becomes unresponsive?

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The still-face interaction paradigm

An experimental task was introduced in 1978 to prove that infants actively contribute to social interaction. It is called the Still-Face Paradigm or SFP.

In the experiment, 3 phases of face-to-face interaction of infants with an adult were tested: the normal interaction, the still-face (where the adult becomes unresponsive and maintains a neutral facial expression), and a reunion where the adult resumes normal interaction.

Indeed, the still-face paradigm showed effects like increased gaze aversion and less smiling.

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