Since birth, infants discriminate the biological motion (BM) revealed by point-light displays (PLDs). To date, no studies have explored whether newborns differentiate BM that approaches rather than withdraws from them. Yet, approach and withdrawal are two fundamental motivations in the socio-emotional world, key to developing empathy and prosocial behavior. Through a looking-behavior paradigm, we demonstrated that a few hours after birth, a human figure approaching attracted more visual attention than a human figure receding, showing that newborns are attuned to PLDs of others moving toward rather than walking away from them. Further, a withdrawing body appears to be less attractive than withdrawing scrambled points. Altogether, these observations support the existence of an early predisposition toward social closeness that might have its roots in an evolutionary perspective.

Roberti, E., Addabbo, M., Colombo, L., Porro, M., Turati, C. (2024). Newborns' perception of approach and withdrawal from biological movement: A closeness story. INFANCY, 29(1 (January/February 2024)), 22-30 [10.1111/infa.12565].

Newborns' perception of approach and withdrawal from biological movement: A closeness story

Roberti, Elisa;Addabbo, Margaret;Porro, Matteo;Turati, Chiara
2024

Abstract

Since birth, infants discriminate the biological motion (BM) revealed by point-light displays (PLDs). To date, no studies have explored whether newborns differentiate BM that approaches rather than withdraws from them. Yet, approach and withdrawal are two fundamental motivations in the socio-emotional world, key to developing empathy and prosocial behavior. Through a looking-behavior paradigm, we demonstrated that a few hours after birth, a human figure approaching attracted more visual attention than a human figure receding, showing that newborns are attuned to PLDs of others moving toward rather than walking away from them. Further, a withdrawing body appears to be less attractive than withdrawing scrambled points. Altogether, these observations support the existence of an early predisposition toward social closeness that might have its roots in an evolutionary perspective.
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
Newborn; Approach; Withdrawal; preference
English
23-ott-2023
2024
29
1 (January/February 2024)
22
30
none
Roberti, E., Addabbo, M., Colombo, L., Porro, M., Turati, C. (2024). Newborns' perception of approach and withdrawal from biological movement: A closeness story. INFANCY, 29(1 (January/February 2024)), 22-30 [10.1111/infa.12565].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/458781
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