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