DISLIKE FOR UNFAMILIAR GROUPS OF PEOPLE IS LEARNED
A new study suggests that although we are inherently drawn to familiar groups of people, having dislike for unfamiliar groups appears to be a learned behavior. “Persistent discrimination and conflict across cultures has led psychologists to question whether we are naturally inclined to like people who are similar to ourselves and to dislike those who […]
DAD’S INVOLVEMENT WITH BABY EARLY ON IS ASSOCIATED WITH A BOOST IN MENTAL DEVELOPMENT
Fathers who interact more with their children in their first few months of life can have a positive impact on their baby’s cognitive development. In a study, published in the Infant Mental Health Journal, researchers from Imperial College London, King’s College London and Oxford University looked at how fathers interacted with their babies at three […]
BABIES’ GAZE SUGGEST WE ARE BORN UNDERSTANDING COLOR
Unless you’re colorblind, you probably have a pretty good idea of what red, green, and blue are. Yet those labels are arbitrary divisions of the color spectrum; there’s no definitive point where the wavelengths of light we call orange turn into red. So cognitive scientists have long wondered whether we learn our labels from our […]
CAN BABIES BE SPOILED WITH LOVE AND ATTENTION?
Research can help us understand why traditional practices are so important. Knowing why, we are less quick to cast adrift customs that can deeply enrich our lives. Nearly every new parent hears the admonition, “Don’t spoil the baby!” at one time or another in the early months of parenting. Our concern about raising “spoiled” […]
HOW BABIES’ BRAIN DEVELOPMENT IS SHAPED BY TOUCH
For newborns, skin-to-skin contact with parents and caregivers helps shape how their brains respond to touch, a sense necessary for social and emotional connections. A lot of previous research has linked skin-to-skin touch with developmental benefits for both premature and full-term babies, ranging from improved growth and sleep to better motor development. Research has also […]
THE ROLE OF VOCALIZATION IN INFANT MASSAGE
Another element in the dance of bonding is vocalization. From the moment she first responded to sound at around seven months gestation, your infant has been listening to your voice. Her body moves in rhythm with your speech patterns, and the high-pitched tone you use when talking to her is particularly sweet to her ears. […]
EARLY STIMULATION CAN BOOST BABIES’ BRAIN DEVELOPMENT
Many new parents think that babies should develop at their own pace, and that they shouldn’t be challenged to do things that they’re not yet ready for. Infants should learn to roll around under their own power, without any helpful nudges, and they shouldn’t support their weight before they can stand or walk on their […]
SKIN-TO-SKIN CONTACT AFTER BIRTH
According to a new review of existing evidence, skin-to-skin contact between mothers and newborns immediately after birth can be used to promote breastfeeding and may give babies a better start in life. The researchers found that women who had skin-to-skin contact with their naked babies right after delivery were more likely to breastfeed longer and […]
Kangaroo Care Benefits Preemies — Results 20 Years Later
A new study reveals that skin-to-skin are brings both immediate and longterm benefits for preemies compared to those who receive traditional incubator care alone. With Kangaroo Care, a premature baby is held against parents’ chest, skin-to-skin, as soon as possible after birth and for a prolonged period of time. This is extremely beneficial for newborns […]
How an Infant’s Brain Decodes Social Behavior
Infants’ brains can understand what they are observing and thus can copy other people’s action, finds a study providing evidence that directly links neural responses from the motor system to overt social behavior in infants. Babies understand what they are observing. There is a direct connection between observing others, understanding what others are doing, and […]