Isn't That Interesting!

Subscribe to posts

By a Hair(line)

posted Feb 17, 2011 7:15 AM by Rose Hilton   [ updated Feb 17, 2011 7:16 AM ]

Newborns will prefer looking at the face of their mother to the faces of other women, unless the mother's hairline is covered (such as with a hat or headscarf) in which case they make no distinction.  This implies that the hairline is important in infant face recognition.

The Pitch

posted Feb 17, 2011 7:14 AM by Rose Hilton

There are distinct pitch sweeps in "motherese" (the sing-song manner in which most people naturally talk to newborns) that appear to play specific roles in modulating infant attention and arousal.

They're Playing My Song!

posted Feb 2, 2011 3:53 PM by Rose Hilton   [ updated Feb 2, 2011 3:56 PM ]

Newborns show a preference for music which was played regularly before they were born, to other music.  They will respond this way beginning some time after 30 weeks gestation (about 10 weeks before being born).

Mother Tongue

posted Feb 2, 2011 3:51 PM by Rose Hilton

A newborn will prefer to hear the native language spoken in the home of the mother to another language. - (Mehler & Moon)

Read Early, Read Often

posted Jan 26, 2011 9:17 PM by Rose Hilton   [ updated Jan 26, 2011 9:19 PM ]

A newborn will prefer a story which was read aloud daily read during the last 6 weeks of pregnancy to a different story. - DeCasper & Fifer

Mom Sounds Best

posted Jan 20, 2011 7:25 AM by Rose Hilton   [ updated Jan 26, 2011 9:17 PM ]

A study done in 1980 showed that newborns prefer the voice of their mother to that of a stranger, even at 38 weeks gestation (about 2 weeks before being born). - DeCasper & Fifer

1-6 of 6