Still Face Experiment: Dr. Edward Tronick

Copyright © 2007 ZERO TO THREE http://www.zerotothree.org

Ed Tronick (http://www.umb.edu/Why_UMass/Ed_Tronick), director of UMass Boston's new Infant-Parent Mental Health Program (http://www.umb.edu/academics/cla/psyc...) and Distinguished Professor of Psychology, discusses the cognitive abilities of infants to read and react to their social surroundings. The video is an excerpt from Lovett Productions' HELPING BABIES FROM THE BENCH: USING THE SCIENCE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD IN COURT.

Using the "Still Face" Experiment, in which a mother denies her baby attention for a short period of time, Tronick describes how prolonged lack of attention can move an infant from good socialization, to periods of bad but repairable socialization. In "ugly" situations the child does not receive any chance to return to the good, and may become stuck.

For more information about Infant-Parent Mental Health, visit http://www.umb.edu/academics/cla/psyc...

To hear about Ed Tronick's latest work, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmE3Nf...

To support the Infant-Parent Mental Health program, visit https://www.umb.edu/giving/give_now/ and note the program in the "other" field

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  Education

[MyFutureLover]

All I saw was that Kristin Stewart's kid is going to grow up to be a serial killer.

[Romzyx]

Is that Kristin Stewart? The baby's gonna have to get used to seeing just one expression on their mother.

[Jesse Pinkman]

Because there's no point in buying clothes that at 10x the price and the only difference is the logo on them. They're smart IMO

[Chelsea Woods]

While I agree that children should be exposed to small stressors regularly (body acclimatises and can deal more, whereas with big stress occasionally the body sensitizes and makes it a lot worse; same with drugs, exercise, almost any input into the brain), there isn't anything really supporting your thoughts on narcissism etc. Babies need a high amount of attention consistently to receive proper stimuli to actually develop the right parts of the brain at the right time.

[Erynnsilver]

Showering children with attention is natural - not the other way around. Narcissism is caused by substitution praise for affection - exactly the sort of thing 'helping them to develop self esteem' while 'making them independent' does. The reverse is true - unconditional love and considering them worth your time.. engaging with them... creates more balanced personalities. Children become independent and confident on their own. And this baby is ONE YEARS OLD.

[Erynnsilver]

You may have an empathy problem, then. Also, that will train the child to do it more often - ANY reaction is better than being treated like they don't exist.

[kowalityjesus]

That's why parents who have actual lives produce balanced children. I am worried about my niece who gets way too much attention, but how can you possibly criticize how someone is raising their child?

[TheKetsa]

how old is that baby ?

[ejayarts]

maybe I shouldn't be so cold and serious looking towards people. this is cool to know. :) being on the same page "connecting" really is crucial for human interactions.

[Noel Luperon]

Do these college professor types all go to the same clothing store? Can't they break out some Gucci some day or something?

[PsylomeAlpha]

hm, so THIS explains why I hate my mother. this was the way she'd punish me for interrupting her work... she still does it.

[Celticking1987]

This just made me want to yell at the baby to shut up!!