Work

Cortisol reactivity, maternal sensitivity, and infant preference for mother's familiar face and rhyme in 6‐month‐old infants

Year: 2008

Type: article

Abstract: This study investigated how cortisol (stress) reactivity and mothers' behavioral sensitivity affect familiarity preferences in 6-month-old infants. Relations between sensitivity and stress were explored using saliva samples taken from mothers and infants before, and 20-min after, two preferential looking experiments. Photographs and voice recordings from infants' mothers were incorporated into standard visual preference tasks. Sensitivity was assessed by determining the degree of behavioral synchrony between mother and infant from a 10-min interaction period preceding the preferential looking experiments. Results showed that decreasing infant cortisol reactivity and greater maternal sensitivity were associated with familiarity preferences for mother's face stimuli. For the experiment with voice stimuli, a sex difference was obtained in the relationship between the directionality of cortisol reactivity and familiarity preferences. Results are related to a parallel study with 3-month-old infants (Thompson & Trevathan, 2008), and issues are discussed in terms of infants' developing emotional independence from mother.

Source: Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology

DOI: 10.1080/02646830801918463

Authors: Laura A. Thompson, Wenda R. Trevathan

Institution: New Mexico State University

Language: English

Topic: Infant Health and Development

Subfield: Pharmacy

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: Emory University, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of General Medical Sciences