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Baby cry recognition is independent of motherhood but improved by experience and exposure.

ABSTRACT: Neurobiological changes affecting new mothers are known to support the development of the mother-infant relationship (the 'maternal brain'). However, which aspects of parenting are actually mother-specific and which rely on general cognitive abilities remains debated. For example, refuting earlier findings, a recent study demonstrated that fathers identify their own baby from their cries just as well as mothers. Here we show that this performance is independent not only of sex, but also of parenthood status. We found that mothers' ability to recognize their newborn from their cries increased rapidly within few days postpartum, with highly multiparous mothers performing better. However, both male and female non-parents could similarly recognize an assigned baby, even after a very short exposure. As in mothers, both the initial amount of experimental exposure to the baby's cries (learning opportunity) and prior experience of caring for infants (auditory expertise) affected participants' performance. We thus suggest that, rather than being female-specific or motherhood-dependent, the ability to recognize a baby from their cries derives from general auditory and learning skills. By being available to non-parents of both sexes, it may contribute to the caregiving flexibility required for efficient cooperative breeding in humans.

SUBMITTER: Bouchet H

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7062011 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Baby cry recognition is independent of motherhood but improved by experience and exposure.

Bouchet Hélène H Plat Aurélie A Levréro Florence F Reby David D Patural Hugues H Mathevon Nicolas N

Proceedings. Biological sciences 20200219 1921

Neurobiological changes affecting new mothers are known to support the development of the mother-infant relationship (the 'maternal brain'). However, which aspects of parenting are actually mother-specific and which rely on general cognitive abilities remains debated. For example, refuting earlier findings, a recent study demonstrated that fathers identify their own baby from their cries just as well as mothers. Here we show that this performance is independent not only of sex, but also of paren ...[more]

PMID: 32070250

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Project description:BackgroundAutism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental difference and disability, yet there is limited research examining parenting in autistic mothers.ObjectiveTo explore autistic mothers' experience of the perinatal period and parenthood. This includes pregnancy, childbirth, the postpartum period, self-perception of parenting strengths and weaknesses, communication with professionals in relation to one's child, mental health difficulties and the social experience of motherhood. It also includes disclosing one's diagnosis of autism in parenting contexts.MethodsWe used a community-based participatory research model, and recruited an advisory panel, with whom we co-developed an anonymous, online survey for autistic mothers. The online survey was completed by autistic and non-autistic mothers, and we compared their responses using Chi-squared analysis.SampleAutistic mothers (n = 355), and non-autistic mothers (n = 132), each of whom had at least one autistic child, were included in our final analysis.ResultsThere were differences in education, gender identity and age of mother at birth of first child. Autistic mothers were more likely to have experienced additional psychiatric conditions, including pre- or post-partum depression, and reported greater difficulties in areas such as multi-tasking, coping with domestic responsibilities and creating social opportunities for their child. They were also more likely to report feeling misunderstood by professionals, and reported greater anxiety, higher rates of selective mutism, and not knowing which details were appropriate to share with professionals. They were also more likely to find motherhood an isolating experience, to worry about others judging their parenting, or feel unable to turn to others for support in parenting. However, despite these challenges, autistic mothers were able to act in the best interest of their child, putting their child's needs first.ConclusionsAutistic mothers face unique challenges and the stigma associated with autism may further exacerbate communication difficulties. Greater understanding and acceptance amongst individuals who interact with autistic mothers is needed, and autistic mothers would benefit from additional and better-tailored support.

Project description:AimsTo investigate women's childbirth experiences and their relation to self-esteem development in the postpartum year.DesignA mixed methods study.MethodsWomen (N = 125) completed survey questionnaires regarding their self-esteem and childbirth experiences at three time points in 2020-2021: third trimester of pregnancy (T1), 4-8 weeks postpartum (T2) and 1 year postpartum (T3). The survey results were analysed using qualitative thematic and quantitative path analyses with latent change factors. The open-ended answers of the women who demonstrated a change in self-esteem between T2 and T3 were then compared. The STROBE checklist was used as the reporting guideline.ResultsThe quantitatively measured childbirth experiences predicted statistically significantly and positively the changes in self-esteem in the following year. The women described their childbirth stories through three main themes: childbirth as a lived experience, childbirth as a relational event and childbirth as a medical event. On the basis of the thematic analysis, we propose that the relationship between childbirth experience and self-esteem development might only hold for women with extremely positive or negative childbirth experiences. There were mixed results for those women who had mixed experiences, indicating that other factors probably contributed to the changes in self-esteem.ConclusionChildbirth is a pivotal event that may have lasting effects on the mother's self-esteem after childbirth. Especially women with traumatic experiences deserve attention because they are at risk of the most negative consequences.ImpactPerinatal services and policy makers must recognize the importance of childbirth experiences in women's well-being and improve their practices. Different cultural models of childbirth should be recognized and supported to facilitate good experiences and prevent traumatic ones.Patient or public contributionService users recruited in Finnish Child Health Centers responded to surveys that were used as data for this study.

Project description:In an increasingly multicultural society, the way people perceive individuals from the same vs different ethnic groups greatly affects their own and societal well-being. Two psychological effects that influence these perceptions are the Mere-Exposure Effect (MRE), wherein familiarity with certain objects or persons suffices for people to develop a preference for them, and the Baby Schema (BS), a set of specific facial features that evokes caregiving behaviors and an affective orientation in adults. In the present study, we aimed to investigate whether these two effects play a role in implicit physiological responses to babies vs. adults faces belonging to participants in-group vs. out-group. In study 1, the pupillary diameter of 62 Caucasian participants (M = 31; F = 31) who observed adult and infant faces of different ethnic groups (Caucasian, Chinese) was measured. In study 2, brain waves of 38 Caucasian participants (M = 19; F = 19), who observed the same set of faces, were recorded using EEG. In both studies, adults explicit preferences (i.e., attitudes) toward faces were assessed using questionnaires. In Study 1, females showed greater attention to infant than adult faces (BS effect) in both pupils, regardless of the ethnic group of the face. By contrast, males attended to infant more than adult faces for out-group faces only (BS effect). In Study 2, greater left posterior-parietal alpha activation toward out-group compared to in-group adult faces was found in males (MRE). Participants with a low BS effect toward in-group baby faces exhibited greater left posterior alpha activation to out-group than in-group baby faces (MRE). These findings reveal how different levels of sensitivity to in-group infants may moderate perceptions of both in-group and out-group baby faces. Questionnaire measures on attitudes showed that males and females preferred in-group to out-group adult faces (MRE). Participants in Study 2 also reported a greater preference for infants than adults faces (BS effect). These findings explicate the roles of gender and the Baby Schema effect in moderating implicit processing of in-group and out-group faces, despite their lack in moderating explicit reports. Contradictory findings at the implicit (physiological) and explicit (self-report) levels suggest that differential processing of faces may occur at a non-conscious level.

Dataset Information

Baby cry recognition is independent of motherhood but improved by experience and exposure.

Publications

Baby cry recognition is independent of motherhood but improved by experience and exposure.

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