Arguments in the Home Linked With Babies' Brain Functioning
26 Mar 2013
Arguments in the Home Linked With Babies' Brain Functioning
Being exposed to arguments between parents is associated with the way babies' brains process emotional tone of voice, according to a new study to be published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
The study, conducted by graduate student Alice Graham with her advisors Phil Fisher and Jennifer Pfeifer of the University of Oregon, found that infants respond to angry tone of voice, even when they're asleep.
Babies' brains are highly plastic, allowing them to develop in response to the environments and encounters they experience. But this plasticity comes with a certain degree of vulnerability -- research has shown that severe stress, such as maltreatment or institutionalization, can have a significant, negative impact on child development.
Read full article here:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130325135359.htm
Andrew says "It seems that babies might be tuned to 'tone of voice' earlier than we thought!"