social development chapter 3 biological foundations: roots in neurons and genes
TRANSCRIPT
Social Development
Chapter 3
Biological Foundations:
Roots in Neurons and Genes
Today’s Outline: Biological Foundations of Social Interaction Biological “preparedness” for social
interaction
Neurological foundations
Genetics
Differences in temperament
Biological “Preparedness” for Social Interaction: Why are babies prepared? Evolutionary Theory Preparedness is adaptive and useful for ensuring the survival
of the human infant and more generally, the species
Infants are biologically “programmed” for social interactions that ensure that their needs are met
Interactions with environment and people help to develop brain and neuron networks, crucial to later development
Biological “Preparedness” for Social Interaction: How are babies prepared? Parent-child synchrony
Visual Preparedness
Auditory Preparedness
Smell, Taste, and Touch Preparedness
What is synchrony? a process that coordinates the ongoing
exchanges b/w parent and child during social interactions
Includes sensory, hormonal, and physiological stimuli
Occurs from gestation through infancy
Video
Synchrony
Newborns: Newborns’ alert-scanning behavior → Maternal
behaviors → infant-mother and infant-father synchrony at 3 months
3 Months: Begin to respond to social cues Dyadic example Triadic example
Underlying Causes of Synchrony Infant’s Biological Rhythms
Biological Clock Cardiac Rhythms
Mother’s Level of Oxytocin
Parents’ activation in brain areas linked to parenting, empathy, and emotion regulation
Long-Term Effects of Synchrony on Development Mother-infant synchrony at 3 and 9 mos
Self-regulation behaviors at 2, 4, and 6 years old IQ at 2 and 4 years old Ability to use words that reflect internal states
Synchrony with both parents at 3 mos Secure attachment at 1 year Fewer behavior problems at age 2 Greater empathy at age 13
Who’s at risk for low synchrony? Prematurely born infants
Triplets
Infants of clinically depressed mothers
Infants of clinically anxious mothers
Interventions Kangaroo Care (KC) – Skin-to-Skin Contact
3-month old preterm infants and parents ½ received KC; coded for touch, proximity KC families (Feldman et al., 2003)
Parents were more sensitive, less intrusive Infants showed less negative emotion Greater touch and closer proximity among triad
Massage (Field, 2001)
Greater weight gain, fewer time spent in hospital
Visual preparation for social interaction Fusiform Face Area (FFA; Kanwisher’s work)
Domain-Specific vs. Domain General
Visual preparation for social interaction Fusiform Face Area (FFA; Kanwisher’s work)
Domain-Specific vs. Domain General
Evidence for importance of FFA in develop. In same location across all subjects Damage to fusiform gyrus at 1-day old Replicated in two monkeys (Tsao)
Auditory Preparation – In utero 16 weeks – recognizes mother’s voice 20-24 weeks – recognizes father’s voice At 24 weeks
Ear now fully developed Preference for music
After 24 weeks Respond to readings (Cat in the Hat Study)
In infancy Show preferences for in utero music and readings
Auditory Preparation – In utero – The Cat in the Hat Study (DeCasper & Spence, 1986)
At 7.5 months pregnant, mothers recorded two stories The Cat in the Hat and Dog in the Fog
RA to one of 3 groups Read Cat in Hat Read Dog in Fog Control – no reading
Results: Faster sucking to recognized story Sing and read to your babies, but never use
headphones or rap music!!
Smells – Mothers recognize babies Mothers’ smelled undershirt of her baby and
2 stranger babies 3 Groups: Time exposed to infant
10 minutes or less (20% recognized) 10 minutes – 1 hour (90% recognized) More than 1 hour (100% recognized)
Most identified within 30 sec of sniff! Replicated with dirty diapers
Smells – Babies and Fathers Newborns
Prefer clothing worn by mother (vs. stranger) Breast-fed (vs. bottle-fed) recognize mother’s
scent earlier
Fathers Some evidence that fathers recognize infant by
smell and touch But newborns have trouble identifying father by
smell