Subtle Disengagement Cues: Boy Being Shown Something “Yucky”

The next two videos show subtle disengagement cues, which are pacing cues that signal the child needs to have the interaction slowed down, but not necessarily stopped. These are the most common type of cues that we all send. Subtle disengagement cues, if not responded to, can cascade into potent disengagement cues.

In this video, the child is interacting with an unfamiliar adult, who has put down a bowl that looks yucky to the child. The child signals his discomfort with subtle, yellow light cues that include showing his tongue, (displaced feeding cue), self-clasp (displaced preening cue), joining hands, lip press (displaced feeding cue) and wiggly and restless feet.