This qualitative case study explored changes in one infant’s relationship development with
her caregivers and peers in times of a major developmental transition, specifically from 10
months to 14 months. The data were collected through multiple sources, including
observations, interviews, documents, and researcher journals, for a semester. Among the
developmental achievements the infant gained in this study, her independent walking ability
appeared to influence her relationships most. As her independent walking ability enabled the
infant to gain a greater access to peers and caregivers, her presence in the room and social
preferences for the people also appeared to change. The infant seemed to enjoy more playbased
and group interactions with both peers and caregivers rather than emotion-based and
dyadic interactions. The results of this study provided an insight into the multifaceted
relationship development process, such as the connection between infant development and
relationships and the association between infant-caregiver relationships and infant peer
relationships.