1
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Zaharia A, Kojovic N, Rojanawisut T, Sander D, Schaer M, Samson AC. Examining the Link Between Social Affect and Visual Exploration of Cute Stimuli in Autistic Children. J Autism Dev Disord 2024:10.1007/s10803-024-06504-1. [PMID: 39172201 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-024-06504-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
Baby schema refers to physical features perceived as cute, known to trigger attention, induce positive emotions, and prompt social interactions. Given the reduced visual attention to social stimuli observed in individuals on the autism spectrum, the current study examines whether the sensitivity to baby schema is also affected. We expected that the looking time towards cute-featured stimuli would vary with symptom severity levels and would be associated with social affect. Ninety-four children (31 typically developing; 63 diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder - ASD) aged 20-83 months (M = 49.63, SD = 13.59) completed an eye-tracking visual exploration task. Autistic participants were separated into two groups based on symptom severity: children with high autism severity symptoms (HS ASD; N = 23) and low-moderate autism symptoms (LMS ASD; N = 40). Animals and neutral objects were simultaneously presented on the screen along with either human babies (condition 1) or adults (condition 2). The results indicated that visual attention oriented to cute-featured stimuli varied with autism symptom severity: only LMS and TD groups spend more time looking at cute-featured stimuli (babies; animals) than neutral objects. Moreover, children with higher severity in the social affect domain spent less time on the stimuli depicting cute than non-cute stimuli. These findings suggest that autism symptom severity and social skills are linked to variations in visual attention to cute stimuli. Implications of baby schema sensitivity are discussed in relation to the development of social competencies and play, responsiveness to robot-based interventions, as well as appraised relevance in autistic children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Zaharia
- Faculty of Psychology, UniDistance Suisse, Brig, Switzerland.
- Institute of Special Education, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
- Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Nada Kojovic
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - David Sander
- Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Marie Schaer
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Fondation Pôle Autisme, Unité de Recherche, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Andrea C Samson
- Faculty of Psychology, UniDistance Suisse, Brig, Switzerland
- Institute of Special Education, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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2
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Jia L, Shao B, Wang L, Wang X, Shi Z. Impact of babyface schema on time perception: Insights from neutral and crying facial expressions. Psych J 2024; 13:398-406. [PMID: 38830603 PMCID: PMC11169756 DOI: 10.1002/pchj.766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Facial expressions in infants have been noted to create a spatial attention bias when compared with adult faces. Yet, there is limited understanding of how adults perceive the timing of infant facial expressions. To investigate this, we used both infant and adult facial expressions in a temporal bisection task. In Experiment 1, we compared duration judgments of neutral infant and adult faces. The results revealed that participants felt that neutral infant faces lasted for a shorter time than neutral adult faces, independent of participant sex. Experiment 2 employed sad (crying) facial expressions. Here, the female participants perceived that the infants' faces were displayed for a longer duration than the adults' faces, whereas this distinction was not evident among the male participants. These findings highlight the influence of the babyface schema on time perception, nuanced by emotional context and sex-based individual variances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Jia
- School of EducationJiangnan UniversityWuxiChina
| | | | - Lili Wang
- School of Educational ScienceHuaiyin Normal UniversityHuaianChina
| | | | - Zhuanghua Shi
- Department of PsychologyLudwig‐Maximilians University MunichMunichGermany
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3
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Kiel N, Samdan G, Wienke AS, Reinelt T, Pauen S, Mathes B, Herzmann C. From co-regulation to self-regulation: Maternal soothing strategies and self-efficacy in relation to maternal reports of infant regulation at 3 and 7 months. Infant Ment Health J 2024; 45:135-152. [PMID: 38175546 DOI: 10.1002/imhj.22098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
This study, conducted in Germany, examines the role of maternal soothing strategies to explain the association of maternal self-efficacy with infant regulation (crying and sleeping behavior). Questionnaire data of 150 mothers, living in Germany, with mixed ethnic and educational backgrounds were collected when infants were 3 and 7 months old. Two types of maternal soothing strategies were distinguished: close soothing, involving close physical and emotional contact, and distant soothing, involving physical and emotional distancing from the infant. A cross-sectional SEM at 3 months indicated that maternal self-efficacy is associated with reported infant regulation through distant soothing strategies. Low maternal self-efficacy was associated with frequent maternal use of distant soothing, which in turn was related to reported infant regulation problems, that is, non-soothability and greater crying frequency. Frequent use of close soothing was associated with reported infant sleeping behavior, that is, frequent night-time awakenings. A longitudinal SEM further indicated that the effects of close soothing persisted at least until the infants' age of 7 months. The study showed how low maternal self-efficacy, increased use of distant soothing, and reported early infant regulation problems are intertwined and that, due to their persisting positive effect on infant soothability, close soothing better supports infant development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Kiel
- Human and Health Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Gizem Samdan
- Human and Health Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- Institute of Psychology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Annika S Wienke
- Human and Health Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Tilman Reinelt
- Department of Neonatology, University of Zurich, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Center for Individual Development and Adaptive Education of Children at Risk, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sabina Pauen
- Institute of Psychology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Birgit Mathes
- Human and Health Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
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4
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Baumard N, Safra L, Martins M, Chevallier C. Cognitive fossils: using cultural artifacts to reconstruct psychological changes throughout history. Trends Cogn Sci 2024; 28:172-186. [PMID: 37949792 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2023.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Psychology is crucial for understanding human history. When aggregated, changes in the psychology of individuals - in the intensity of social trust, parental care, or intellectual curiosity - can lead to important changes in institutions, social norms, and cultures. However, studying the role of psychology in shaping human history has been hindered by the difficulty of documenting the psychological traits of people who are no longer alive. Recent developments in psychology suggest that cultural artifacts reflect in part the psychological traits of the individuals who produced or consumed them. Cultural artifacts can thus serve as 'cognitive fossils' - physical imprints of the psychological traits of long-dead people. We review the range of materials available to cognitive and behavioral scientists, and discuss the methods that can be used to recover and quantify changes in psychological traits throughout history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Baumard
- Institut Jean Nicod, École Normale Supérieure (ENS)-Université de Paris Institut Jean Nicod, Département d'études cognitives, Ecole normale supérieure, Université PSL, EHESS, CNRS, Paris, France.
| | - Lou Safra
- Institut Jean Nicod, École Normale Supérieure (ENS)-Université de Paris Institut Jean Nicod, Département d'études cognitives, Ecole normale supérieure, Université PSL, EHESS, CNRS, Paris, France; Centre de Recherches Politiques de Sciences Po (CEVIPOF), Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po), Paris, France
| | - Mauricio Martins
- Institut Jean Nicod, École Normale Supérieure (ENS)-Université de Paris Institut Jean Nicod, Département d'études cognitives, Ecole normale supérieure, Université PSL, EHESS, CNRS, Paris, France; SCAN-Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Coralie Chevallier
- Institut Jean Nicod, École Normale Supérieure (ENS)-Université de Paris Institut Jean Nicod, Département d'études cognitives, Ecole normale supérieure, Université PSL, EHESS, CNRS, Paris, France
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5
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Schneider I, Herpertz SC, Ueltzhöffer K, Neukel C. Stress and reward in the maternal brain of mothers with borderline personality disorder: a script-based fMRI study. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2024; 274:117-127. [PMID: 37354380 PMCID: PMC10786970 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-023-01634-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is associated with altered neural activity in regions of salience and emotion regulation. An exaggerated sensitization to emotionally salient situations, increased experience of emotions, and dysfunctional regulative abilities could be reasons for increased distress also during parenting. Mothers with BPD tend to have less reciprocal mother-child interactions (MCI) and reveal altered cortisol and oxytocin reactivity in the interaction with their child, which could indicate altered processing of stress and reward. Here, we studied underlying neural mechanisms of disrupted MCI in BPD. Twenty-five mothers with BPD and 28 healthy mothers participated in a script-driven imagery functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)-paradigm. Scripts described stressful or rewarding MCI with the own child, or situations in which the mother was alone. Mothers with BPD showed larger activities in the bilateral insula and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) compared to healthy mothers during the imagination of MCI and non-MCI. Already in the precursory phase while listening to the scripts, a similar pattern emerged with stronger activity in the left anterior insula (AINS), but not in the ACC. This AINS activity correlated negatively with the quality of real-life MCI for mothers with BPD. Mothers with BPD reported lower affect and higher arousal. An exaggerated sensitization to different, emotionally salient situations together with dysfunctional emotion regulation abilities, as reflected by increased insula and ACC activity, might hinder sensitive maternal behavior in mothers with BPD. These results underline the importance for psychotherapeutic interventions to improve emotional hyperarousal and emotion regulation in patients with BPD, especially in affected mothers caring for young children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Schneider
- Department of General Psychiatry, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg University, Voßstr. 4, 69115, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Sabine C Herpertz
- Department of General Psychiatry, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg University, Voßstr. 4, 69115, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kai Ueltzhöffer
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Genome Biology Unit, Meyerhofstr. 1, 69117, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Corinne Neukel
- Department of General Psychiatry, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg University, Voßstr. 4, 69115, Heidelberg, Germany
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6
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Li YL, Cheng G, Wu XH, Dai HY, Jia YC. The effect of emotional uncertainty on attentional bias toward neutral infant faces in adults. Dev Psychobiol 2022; 64:e22335. [PMID: 36426785 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies have found that adults have stronger attentional bias toward neutral infant faces than emotional (positive or negative) infant faces. This phenomenon may derive from uncertainty over neutral expressions. To test this hypothesis, we recruited 176 participants to examine the relationship between their attentional bias toward neutral infant faces (with neutral adult faces as a comparison baseline) and their level of certainty in their appraisal of emotional valence through eye-tracking indices. The results showed that participants had a longer dwell time and higher fixation counts for infant faces than for adult faces and that a more uncertain appraisal of facial expressions positively predicted attentional bias toward neutral infant faces. Therefore, this study preliminarily demonstrates that emotional uncertainty heightens adults' attentional bias toward infant faces with neutral expressions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Lin Li
- College of National Culture and Cognitive Science, Guizhou Minzu University, Guiyang, China.,School of Psychology, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, China.,Center for Rural Children and Adolescents Mental Health Education, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, China
| | - Gang Cheng
- School of Psychology, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, China.,Center for Rural Children and Adolescents Mental Health Education, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, China
| | - Xiu Hong Wu
- School of Psychology, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, China.,Center for Rural Children and Adolescents Mental Health Education, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, China
| | - Huang Yan Dai
- School of Psychology, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, China.,Center for Rural Children and Adolescents Mental Health Education, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yun Cheng Jia
- College of National Culture and Cognitive Science, Guizhou Minzu University, Guiyang, China.,Center for Rural Children and Adolescents Mental Health Education, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, China
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7
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Neural effects of viewing children’s faces on mental fatigue: a magnetoencephalography study. Exp Brain Res 2022; 240:2885-2896. [DOI: 10.1007/s00221-022-06466-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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8
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Levinson SC. The interaction engine: cuteness selection and the evolution of the interactional base for language. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210108. [PMID: 35876196 PMCID: PMC9310178 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The deep structural diversity of languages suggests that our language capacities are not based on any single template but rather on an underlying ability and motivation for infants to acquire a culturally transmitted system. The hypothesis is that this ability has an interactional base that has discernable precursors in other primates. In this paper, I explore a specific evolutionary route for the most puzzling aspect of this interactional base in humans, namely the development of an empathetic intentional stance. The route involves a generalization of mother-infant interaction patterns to all adults via a process (cuteness selection) analogous to, but distinct from, RA Fisher's runaway sexual selection. This provides a cornerstone for the carrying capacity for language. This article is part of the theme issue 'Revisiting the human 'interaction engine': comparative approaches to social action coordination'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen C. Levinson
- Language and Cognition, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, Gelderland, The Netherlands
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9
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Raghunath BL, Sng KHL, Chen SHA, Vijayaragavan V, Gulyás B, Setoh P, Esposito G. Stronger brain activation for own baby but similar activation toward babies of own and different ethnicities in parents living in a multicultural environment. Sci Rep 2022; 12:10988. [PMID: 35768627 PMCID: PMC9243063 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15289-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Specific facial features in infants automatically elicit attention, affection, and nurturing behaviour of adults, known as the baby schema effect. There is also an innate tendency to categorize people into in-group and out-group members based on salient features such as ethnicity. Societies are becoming increasingly multi-cultural and multi-ethnic, and there are limited investigations into the underlying neural mechanism of the baby schema effect in a multi-ethnic context. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to examine parents' (N = 27) neural responses to (a) non-own ethnic in-group and out-group infants, (b) non-own in-group and own infants, and (c) non-own out-group and own infants. Parents showed similar brain activations, regardless of ethnicity and kinship, in regions associated with attention, reward processing, empathy, memory, goal-directed action planning, and social cognition. The same regions were activated to a higher degree when viewing the parents' own infant. These findings contribute further understanding to the dynamics of baby schema effect in an increasingly interconnected social world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bindiya Lakshmi Raghunath
- Psychology Program, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kelly Hwee Leng Sng
- Psychology Program, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - S H Annabel Chen
- Psychology Program, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.,Centre for Research and Development in Learning (CRADLE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.,Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.,Office of Educational Research, National Institute of Education, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Vimalan Vijayaragavan
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Balázs Gulyás
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Peipei Setoh
- Psychology Program, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Gianluca Esposito
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy.
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10
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Vuoriainen E, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ, Huffmeijer R, van IJzendoorn MH, Peltola MJ. Processing children's faces in the parental brain: A meta-analysis of ERP studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 136:104604. [PMID: 35278598 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Event-related potentials (ERPs) are an excellent tool for investigating parental neural responses to child stimuli. Using meta-analysis, we quantified the results of available studies reporting N170 or LPP/P3 ERP responses to children's faces, targeting three questions: 1) Do parents and non-parents differ in ERP responses to child faces? 2) Are parental ERP responses larger to own vs. unfamiliar child faces? 3) Are parental ERP responses to child faces associated with indicators of parenting quality, such as observed parental sensitivity? Across 23 studies (N = 1035), key findings showed 1) larger N170 amplitudes to child faces in parents than in non-parents (r = 0.19), 2) larger LPP/P3 responses to own vs. unfamiliar child faces in parents (r = 0.19), and 3) positive associations between parental LPP/P3 responses to child faces and parenting quality outcomes (r = 0.15). These results encourage further research particularly with the LPP/P3 to assess attentional-motivational processes of parenting, but also highlight the need for larger samples and more systematic assessments of associations between ERPs and parenting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Vuoriainen
- Human Information Processing Laboratory, Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Finland
| | - Marian J Bakermans-Kranenburg
- Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Educational and Family Studies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rens Huffmeijer
- Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, The Netherlands
| | - Marinus H van IJzendoorn
- Research Department of Clinical, Education and Health Psychology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, UCL, University of London, UK
| | - Mikko J Peltola
- Human Information Processing Laboratory, Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Finland; Tampere Institute for Advanced Study, Tampere University, Finland.
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11
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Hernández Blasi C, Bjorklund DF, Agut S, Lozano Nomdedeu F, Martínez MÁ. Voices as Cues to Children's Needs for Caregiving. HUMAN NATURE (HAWTHORNE, N.Y.) 2022; 33:22-42. [PMID: 34881403 PMCID: PMC8964562 DOI: 10.1007/s12110-021-09418-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to explore the role of voices as cues to adults of children’s needs for potential caregiving during early childhood. To this purpose, 74 college students listened to pairs of 5-year-old versus 10-year-old children verbalizing neutral-content sentences and indicated which voice was better associated with each of 14 traits, potentially meaningful in interactions between young children and adults. Results indicated that children with immature voices were perceived more positively and as being more helpless than children with mature voices. Children’s voices, regardless of the content of speech, seem to be a powerful source of information about children’s need for caregiving for parents and others during the first six years of life.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sonia Agut
- Departamento de Psicología, Universitat Jaume I, 12071, Castellón, Spain
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12
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Yao L, Dai Q, Wu Q, Liu Y, Yu Y, Guo T, Zhou M, Yang J, Takahashi S, Ejima Y, Wu J. Eye Size Affects Cuteness in Different Facial Expressions and Ages. Front Psychol 2022; 12:674456. [PMID: 35087437 PMCID: PMC8786738 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.674456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Researchers have suggested that infants exhibiting baby schema are considered cute. These similar studies have mainly focused on changes in overall baby schema facial features. However, whether a change in only eye size affects the perception of cuteness across different facial expressions and ages has not been explicitly evaluated until now. In the present study, a paired comparison method and 7-point scale were used to investigate the effects of eye size on perceived cuteness across facial expressions (positive, neutral, and negative) and ages (adults and infants). The results show that stimuli with large eyes were perceived to be cuter than both unmanipulated eyes and small eyes across all facial expressions and age groups. This suggests not only that the effect of baby schema on cuteness is based on changes in a set of features but also that eye size as an individual feature can affect the perception of cuteness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lichang Yao
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Qi Dai
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Qiong Wu
- School of Education, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, China
| | - Yang Liu
- School of Education, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, China
| | - Yiyang Yu
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Ting Guo
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Mengni Zhou
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Jiajia Yang
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Satoshi Takahashi
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Yoshimichi Ejima
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Jinglong Wu
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan.,Research Center for Medical Artificial Intelligence, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Shenzhen, China.,School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
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13
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Ma Y, Liu G, Hu Y, Long W. Adult attachment style moderates the effect of oxytocin on neural responses to infant emotional faces. Int J Psychophysiol 2021; 171:38-47. [PMID: 34919983 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2021.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) is known for its positive influence on maternal motivation and behavior, however, the effects of intranasal oxytocin (IN-OT) on neural activity during the perception of infant stimuli are often inconsistent. These discrepancies further reveal the need to take into account individual differences in IN-OT research. The present study aims to examine whether the effects of IN-OT on maternal-related neural responses to infant faces were moderated by participants' attachment style. Using a between-groups, double-blind, placebo-controlled design, 65 nulliparous females were randomly assigned to groups receiving a single dose of 24 IU oxytocin or a placebo via intranasal administration. The neural responses of participants were assessed during a facial recognition task with joy, neutral, and crying infant faces. The results indicated that females with high levels of attachment anxiety exhibited decreased right amygdala activity in response to infant joy faces and decreased bilateral insula activity in response to infant crying faces following IN-OT. Meanwhile, IN-OT enhanced bilateral amygdala and left inferior orbital frontal cortex (OFC) activity in response to infant crying faces in females with high levels of attachment avoidance. In addition, some beneficial effects of IN-OT were also observed in females with low levels of attachment avoidance or anxiety. Our findings demonstrated that the beneficial effects of IN-OT on neural responses to infant faces may depend on individual differences in adult attachment style, thereby contributing to our understanding of the role of OT in maternal caregiving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanxiao Ma
- School of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210024, China.
| | - Guangzeng Liu
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yuting Hu
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Wenshuang Long
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
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14
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Ding F, Jia Y, Cheng G, Wu L, Hu T, Zhang D. Secure Attachment Priming Amplifies Approach Motivation for Infant Faces Among Childless Adults. Front Psychol 2021; 12:736379. [PMID: 34777122 PMCID: PMC8578675 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.736379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Existing studies have indicated that priming secure attachment alters adults' neural responses to infant faces. However, no study has examined whether this effect exists for motivational behavioral responses, and none of the previous studies included adult faces as a baseline to determine whether the security prime enhances responses to human faces in general or infant faces alone. To address this limitation, the current study recruited 160 unmarried and childless adults in the first phase, and all of them completed a battery of questionnaires, including the Interest in Infants, the Experiences in Close Relationships (ECR), and State Adult Attachment Measure (SAAM). A week later, after priming, 152 (76 security-primed vs. 76 neutrally primed) participants completed the SAAM and a behavioral program assessing their motivational responses to both adult and infant faces (i.e., liking, representational, and evoked responses). A manipulation check showed that the security prime was effective. Then, generalized linear mixed-effects models (GLMMs) showed that security priming enhances adults' liking, representational, and evoked responses (three components of the motivational system) only to infant faces and not to adult faces. Moreover, hierarchical regression analysis indicated that, even after security priming, there was a substantial linear relationship between positive motivation toward infant faces and the state of adult secure attachment. In summary, this study demonstrated for the first time that promoting the state of adult secure attachment can effectively enhance the effect size of the baby face schema. The current results were interpreted according to Bowlby's view of the attachment behavioral system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangyuan Ding
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.,Center for Mental Health Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuncheng Jia
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.,Center for Mental Health Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Gang Cheng
- School of Psychology, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, China.,Center for Rural Children and Adolescents Mental Health Education, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, China
| | - Lili Wu
- Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience Research Center, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
| | - Tianqiang Hu
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.,Center for Mental Health Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Dajun Zhang
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.,Center for Mental Health Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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15
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Bohne A, Nordahl D, Lindahl ÅAW, Ulvenes P, Wang CEA, Pfuhl G. Emotional Infant Face Processing in Women With Major Depression and Expecting Parents With Depressive Symptoms. Front Psychol 2021; 12:657269. [PMID: 34276481 PMCID: PMC8283203 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.657269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Processing of emotional facial expressions is of great importance in interpersonal relationships. Aberrant engagement with facial expressions, particularly an engagement with sad faces, loss of engagement with happy faces, and enhanced memory of sadness has been found in depression. Since most studies used adult faces, we here examined if such biases also occur in processing of infant faces in those with depression or depressive symptoms. In study 1, we recruited 25 inpatient women with major depression and 25 matched controls. In study 2, we extracted a sample of expecting parents from the NorBaby study, where 29 reported elevated levels of depressive symptoms, and 29 were matched controls. In both studies, we assessed attentional bias with a dot-probe task using happy, sad and neutral infant faces, and facial memory bias with a recognition task using happy, sad, angry, afraid, surprised, disgusted and neutral infant and adult faces. Participants also completed the Ruminative Responses Scale and Becks Depression Inventory-II. In study 1, we found no group difference in either attention to or memory accuracy for emotional infant faces. Neither attention nor recognition was associated with rumination. In study 2, we found that the group with depressive symptoms disengaged more slowly than healthy controls from sad infant faces, and this was related to rumination. The results place emphasis on the importance of emotional self-relevant material when examining cognitive processing in depression. Together, these studies demonstrate that a mood-congruent attentional bias to infant faces is present in expecting parents with depressive symptoms, but not in inpatients with Major Depression Disorder who do not have younger children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnes Bohne
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Dag Nordahl
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Åsne A W Lindahl
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Pål Ulvenes
- Modum Bad Research Institute, Vikersund, Norway
| | - Catharina E A Wang
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Gerit Pfuhl
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
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16
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Löwenbrück F, Hess U. Not all "caregivers" are created equal: Liking, caring and facial expression responses to the baby schema as a function of parenthood and testosterone. Biol Psychol 2021; 163:108120. [PMID: 34044066 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The baby schema elicits care from potential caregivers. However, much of the research on the baby schema is based on self-report only. To address this issue, we explored the effects of baby schema and child age on facial expressions (EMG) and eye-blink startle, in addition to self-reported liking and caring for 43 men and 48 women (39 parents). Further, basal testosterone was assessed. All groups responded with liking and caring to high baby schema, but only women also responded with more positive facial expressions. Caring and smiling towards infants compared to first graders depended on parenthood and testosterone levels. Basal testosterone levels were negatively associated with overall responsiveness to children in women and fathers, but positively in non-fathers. Whereas the baby schema overall lead to positive affect and caring, the scope of these responses and the processes underlying them depended on gender, parenthood and hormonal status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Löwenbrück
- Humboldt University Berlin, Department of Psychology, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Ursula Hess
- Humboldt University Berlin, Department of Psychology, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany.
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17
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The regulatory roles of progesterone and estradiol on emotion processing in women. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2021; 21:1026-1038. [PMID: 33982247 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-021-00908-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Emotion processing is known to interact with memory. Ovarian steroid hormones, such as progesterone and estradiol, modulate emotion processing and memory. However, it is unclear how these hormones influence brain activity when emotion processing is integrated with working memory (WM). Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the relationship between endogenous hormonal concentration and brain activity during emotion processing in the context of a WM n-back task in 74 young women using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Results show that positive emotion processing activates reward-related areas, such as the caudate and putamen, whereas negative emotion processing activates a corticolimbic network, including the amygdala and hippocampus. Furthermore, our findings provide evidence that progesterone modulates more bottom-up brain activation during both positive and negative emotion processing, whereas estradiol activates lateralized, top-down regulation. These findings provide insight on the neural correlates of emotion processing during an n-back task in young women and highlight how important it is to consider women's endogenous hormonal concentration in neurobiological and cognition research.
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18
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Lu Q, Hu S. Sex differences of oxytocin and vasopressin in social behaviors. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2021; 180:65-88. [PMID: 34225950 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-820107-7.00005-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The neuropeptides oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (VP) are known to mediate social cognition and behaviors in a sex-dependent manner. This chapter reviews the sex-dependent influence of OT and VP on social behaviors, focusing on (1) partner preference and sexual orientation, (2) memory modulation, (3) emotion regulation, and (4) trust-related behaviors. Most studies suggest that OT promotes familiar (opposite-sex) partner preference, strengthens memory, relieves anxiety, and increases trust. However, VP-regulated social cognition has been studied less than OT. VP facilitates familiar (opposite-sex) partner preference, enhances memory, induces anxiety, and influences happiness/anger perception. Detailed sex differences of these effects are reviewed. There is a male preponderance in the use of animal models and many study results are too complex to draw firm conclusions. Clarifying the complex interplay between the OT/VP system and sex hormones in the regulation of social behaviors is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaoqiao Lu
- Department of Psychiatry, Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shaohua Hu
- Department of Psychiatry, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder Management in Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China; Brain Research Institute of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
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19
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Franklin-Luther P. How Do Adults’ Personality Traits Influence Perceptions and Responses to Infant Faces? EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s40806-020-00248-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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20
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Endendijk JJ, Bos PA, Smit AK, van Baar AL. Pictures of preterm infants elicit increased affective responses and reduced reward-motivation or perspective taking in the maternal brain. Behav Brain Res 2020; 390:112677. [PMID: 32407823 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Revised: 03/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Preterm-birth increases the risk of several physical, cognitive, neuromotor, and psychosocial problems in children, and is also related to difficulties in the parent-child relationship. Research suggests that the development of early parent-child interactions in general is affected by deviations from typical infant facial characteristics, which may also be important in the case of small, preterm born infants. Therefore, we examined mothers' (N = 22, of whom 17 had no direct experience with preterm birth) neural responses to pictures of preterm and full-term infants using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We also explored whether neural responses to preterm and full-term infants correlated with mothers' self-reported tendencies to be nurturing and protective with children, and with mothers' ratings of affection or aversion toward pictures of preterm infants. Results revealed that, compared to pictures of full-term infants, those of preterm infants elicited more activity in specific areas of the brain (dmPFC, right insula, left caudate, hippocampi, parahippocampi, and PAG), that have previously been associated with processing of negative emotions and with empathy. In addition, less activity was seen in one area of the brain (vmPFC) known to be associated with reward-motivation or mental state understanding and perspective-taking. Higher self-reported maternal nurturance was associated with increased activity to pictures of preterm infants vs full-term infants in the caudate, which might reflect approach- or reward-related processing. To conclude, neural responses to preterm infants are related to reward-motivation, mentalizing, negative emotions, and empathy. Future studies should examine whether such neural processing of preterm infant stimuli might underlie difficulties in the parent-child relationship of parents with a preterm child.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyce J Endendijk
- Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 1, 3548 CS Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Peter A Bos
- Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK Leiden, the Netherlands; Department of Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 1, 3548 CS Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Anne K Smit
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Medical Centre Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Anneloes L van Baar
- Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 1, 3548 CS Utrecht, the Netherlands
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21
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Luo L, Zhang Q, Wang J, Lin Q, Zhao B, Xu M, Langley C, Li H, Gao S. The baby schema effect in adolescence and its difference from that in adulthood. J Exp Child Psychol 2020; 198:104908. [PMID: 32600740 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2020.104908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The baby schema effect induced by particular features of baby faces acts as an innate releasing mechanism that evokes positive emotions and instinctual behavioral responses. Our prior research in adults has revealed that this effect initially found in infancy extends into child faces. Adolescence is an important period involving development in various aspects of cognition, including face perception. Here, we investigated whether the extended baby schema effect we previously found in adult observers develops earlier-in adolescence-and how different it appears in adolescents as compared with in adults. In the current study, 76 adolescents and 77 adults were asked to judge the likeability of 148 neutral faces of infants and children (0.08-6.5 years of age) on 7-point scales. Results showed that both adolescents and adults perceived the faces of both infants and children younger than 4.6 years as more likeable relative to those of older children, indicating that the baby schema effect previously found in adulthood also occurs in adolescence. However, adolescents rated lower than adults toward the infant and child faces across all face ages, suggesting that this effect might be under development in adolescence. Overall, our findings provide new evidence for the development of face perception in adolescence and demonstrate age-related changes in innate releasing mechanisms in our protective and caretaking responses toward infants and children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizhu Luo
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, Chengdu 610091, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiaojian Wang
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiyuan Lin
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, People's Republic of China
| | - Bingmei Zhao
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, People's Republic of China
| | - Min Xu
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, People's Republic of China
| | - Christelle Langley
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SZ, UK
| | - Hong Li
- Institute for Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610068, People's Republic of China.
| | - Shan Gao
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, People's Republic of China; School of Foreign Languages, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, People's Republic of China.
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22
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Endendijk JJ, Smit AK, van Baar AL, Bos PA. What a cute baby! Preliminary evidence from a fMRI study for the association between mothers' neural responses to infant faces and activation of the parental care system. Neuropsychologia 2020; 143:107493. [PMID: 32407904 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Infant facial characteristics, i.e., baby schema, are thought to automatically elicit parenting behavior and affective orientation toward infants. Only a few studies, conducted in non-parents, have directly examined the neural underpinnings of this baby schema effect by manipulating distinctiveness of baby schema in infant faces. This study aims to further our understanding of the intuitive nature of parenting, by studying the baby schema effect in mothers of young children (at least one child aged between 2 and 6 years old). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to examine mothers' (N = 23) neural responses to unfamiliar infant faces varying in distinctiveness of baby schema. Also, it was studied how this neural activation to infant faces was associated with maternal nurturance. Results revealed that infant faces elicited widespread activation in bilateral visual cortices, the hippocampus, sensory-motor areas, parietal and frontal cortices, and the insula, which was not modulated by the distinctiveness of baby schema in the infant faces. Furthermore, higher self-reported maternal nurturance was related to increased neural responses to infant faces in the putamen and amygdala, brain regions known to be associated with reward and salience processing. These findings could suggest that in our small sample of mothers some of the core networks involved in reward and salience processing might be less sensitive to variation in distinctiveness of baby schema. Also, unfamiliar infant faces seem to be rewarding only for mothers who report high nurturance. These findings should be considered preliminary, because they need to be replicated in studies with larger samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyce J Endendijk
- Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 1, 3548, CS, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Anne K Smit
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Medical Centre Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713, GZ, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Anneloes L van Baar
- Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 1, 3548, CS, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Peter A Bos
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 1, 3548, CS, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333, AK Leiden, the Netherlands
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23
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Rajhans P, Goin-Kochel RP, Strathearn L, Kim S. It takes two! Exploring sex differences in parenting neurobiology and behaviour. J Neuroendocrinol 2019; 31:e12721. [PMID: 31034670 PMCID: PMC6773483 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Parents lay the foundation for their children's socio-emotional experiences by sensitively responding to their needs. The hormonal and neurobiological changes that occur during the transition to parenthood importantly contribute to the parents' caregiving behaviour toward their children. Much research has emphasised the relationship between the mother, who is most often the primary caregiver, and her infant, with less focus on the role of fathers in child development. However, recent accounts have suggested that fathers also play an important role in promoting the health, development and psychosocial wellbeing of their children. Evidence from the behavioural literature has indicated that there are significant differences between typical mother-infant versus father-infant interactions. The current review aims to outline differences between maternal and paternal caregiving by discussing the differences in their biological mechanisms. First, we focus on the different hormones that are correlated with sensitive parenting behaviours in mothers and fathers. Next, we discuss the differences between neural bases of motherhood and fatherhood. Lastly, we discuss ways in which parental hormones, parental brain and parental exposure to infant cues interact to shape parental caregiving behaviour. In summary, this review highlights the distinct but complementary nature of maternal and paternal caregiving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Purva Rajhans
- Department of Pediatrics Psychology, Baylor College of Medicine
- Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
| | | | - Lane Strathearn
- Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
- Center for Disabilities and Development, University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital
- Corresponding Authors: Lane Strathearn, MBBS FRACP PhD, Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 100 Hawkins Drive, 217 CDD, Iowa City, IA 52242-1011. Tel: (319) 356-7044; , Sohye Kim, PhD, Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Psychiatry, and Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, 6651 Main Street, Suite F1060.04, Houston, TX 77030. Tel: (832) 826-8065;
| | - Sohye Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine
- Center for Reproductive Psychiatry, Pavilion for Women, Texas Children’s Hospital
- Corresponding Authors: Lane Strathearn, MBBS FRACP PhD, Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 100 Hawkins Drive, 217 CDD, Iowa City, IA 52242-1011. Tel: (319) 356-7044; , Sohye Kim, PhD, Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Psychiatry, and Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, 6651 Main Street, Suite F1060.04, Houston, TX 77030. Tel: (832) 826-8065;
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24
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Bos PA, Spencer H, Montoya ER. Oxytocin reduces neural activation in response to infant faces in nulliparous young women. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2019; 13:1099-1109. [PMID: 30203082 PMCID: PMC6204485 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsy080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Infant faces have distinctive features that together are described as baby schema, a configuration that facilitates caregiving motivation and behavior, and increases the perception of cuteness. In the current functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, we investigated the effect of a within-subjects intranasal oxytocin administration (24 IU) and caregiving motivation on neural responses to infant faces of varying baby schema in 23 healthy nulliparous women. Overall, infant faces elicited activation in several brain regions involved in reward and salience processing, including the ventral tegmental area (VTA), putamen, amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and insula, and this activation was related to self-reported caregiving motivation. Critically, whereas we hypothesized enhanced neural caregiving-related responses after oxytocin administration, we observed reduced activation in the VTA, putamen and amygdala after oxytocin compared to placebo. In nulliparous women, oxytocin has been shown to reduce neural responses in the same regions in response to social stimuli using other paradigms. Oxytocin might affect neural activation toward social stimuli depending on elicited arousal and personal characteristics. The current study is the first to demonstrate this effect in response to infant faces and thereby adds to specify the role of oxytocin in human social information processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter A Bos
- Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
| | - Hannah Spencer
- Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
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25
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Neukel C, Herpertz SC, Hinid-Attar C, Zietlow AL, Fuchs A, Moehler E, Bermpohl F, Bertsch K. Neural processing of the own child's facial emotions in mothers with a history of early life maltreatment. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2019; 269:171-181. [PMID: 30056560 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-018-0929-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Early life maltreatment (ELM) has long-lasting effects on social interaction. When interacting with their own child, women with ELM often report difficulties in parenting and show reduced maternal sensitivity. Sensitive maternal behavior requires the recognition of the child's emotional state depicted in its facial emotions. Based on previous studies, it can be expected that ELM affects the neural processing of facial emotions by altering activation patterns in parts of the brain's empathy and mentalizing networks. However, so far studies have focused on the processing of standardized, adult facial emotions. Therefore, the current study investigated the impact of ELM on the processing of one's own child's facial emotions using functional magnetic resonance imaging. To achieve this, 27 mothers with and 26 mothers without a history of ELM (all without current mental disorders and psychopharmacological treatment) took part in an emotional face recognition paradigm with happy, sad, and neutral faces of their own and an unknown primary school-aged child of the same age and sex. We found elevated activations in regions of the mentalizing (superior temporal sulcus, precuneus) and mirror neuron (inferior parietal lobule) networks as well as in the visual face processing network (cuneus, middle temporal gyrus) in mothers with ELM compared to the non-maltreated mothers in response to happy faces of their own child. This suggests a more effortful processing and cognitive empathic mentalizing of the own child's facial happiness in mothers with ELM. Future research should address whether this might indicate a compensatory recruitment of mentalizing capacities to maintain maternal sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinne Neukel
- Department of General Psychiatry, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Voßstraße 4, 69115, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Sabine C Herpertz
- Department of General Psychiatry, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Voßstraße 4, 69115, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Catherine Hinid-Attar
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Berlin, Charité Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anna-Lena Zietlow
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anna Fuchs
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Eva Moehler
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Felix Bermpohl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Berlin, Charité Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - Katja Bertsch
- Department of General Psychiatry, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Voßstraße 4, 69115, Heidelberg, Germany
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26
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Rigo P, Kim P, Esposito G, Putnick DL, Venuti P, Bornstein MH. Specific maternal brain responses to their own child's face: An fMRI meta-analysis. DEVELOPMENTAL REVIEW 2019; 51:58-69. [PMID: 30872887 PMCID: PMC6411077 DOI: 10.1016/j.dr.2018.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Paola Rigo
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Division of Psychology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Pilyoung Kim
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, 2155 South Race Street, Denver, CO 80208-3500
| | - Gianluca Esposito
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
- Division of Psychology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Diane L. Putnick
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Paola Venuti
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Marc H. Bornstein
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Institute for Fiscal Studies, London, UK
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27
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Expanding Regulation Theory With Oxytocin: A Psychoneurobiological Model for Infant Development. Nurs Res 2019; 67:133-145. [PMID: 29489634 DOI: 10.1097/nnr.0000000000000261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oxytocin (OT), an affiliation hormone released during supportive social interactions, provides an exemplar of how social environments are reflected in our neurobiology from the beginning of life. A growing body of OT research has uncovered previously unknown functions of OT, including modulation of parenting behaviors, neuroprotection, affiliation, and bonding. Regulation theory provides a strong framework for describing how the maternal care environment affects infant neurodevelopment through a symphony of molecules that form the neurobiological milieu of the developing infant brain. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this article was to expand on regulation theory by discussing how OT-based processes contribute to infant neurobiology and by proposing a new model for maternal-infant nursing practice and research. APPROACH We structure our discussion of the socially based, neurobiological processes of OT through its effects in the nested hierarchies of genetic, epigenetic, molecular, cellular, neural circuit, multiorgan, and behavioral levels. Our discussion is also presented chronologically, as OT works through a positive feedback loop during infant neurodevelopment, beginning prenatally and continuing after birth. IMPLICATIONS Nurses are in a unique position to use innovative discoveries made by the biologic sciences to generate new nursing theories that inform clinical practice and inspire the development of innovative interventions that maximize the infant's exposure to supportive maternal care.
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Holtfrerich SKC, Pfister R, El Gammal AT, Bellon E, Diekhof EK. Endogenous testosterone and exogenous oxytocin influence the response to baby schema in the female brain. Sci Rep 2018; 8:7672. [PMID: 29769663 PMCID: PMC5955922 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-26020-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Nurturing behavior may be critically influenced by the interplay of different hormones. The neuropeptide oxytocin is known to promote maternal behavior and its reduction has been associated with postpartum depression risk and child neglect. Contrariwise, the observed decrease in testosterone level during early parenthood may benefit caretaking behavior, whereas increased testosterone may reduce attention to infants. Here we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the interactive influence of testosterone and oxytocin on selective attention to and neural processing of the baby schema (BS). 57 nulliparous women performed a target detection task with human faces with varying degree of BS following double-blinded placebo-controlled oxytocin administration in a between-subjects design. Our results support the idea that oxytocin enhances attention to the BS. Oxytocin had a positive effect on activation of the inferior frontal junction during identification of infant targets with a high degree of BS that were presented among adult distractors. Further, activation of the putamen was positively correlated with selective attention to the BS, but only in women with high endogenous testosterone who received oxytocin. These findings provide initial evidence for the neural mechanism by which oxytocin may counteract the negative effects of testosterone in the modulation of nurturing behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah K C Holtfrerich
- Universität Hamburg, Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences, Department of Biology, Institute of Zoology, Neuroendocrinology Unit, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, D-20146, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Roland Pfister
- Department of Psychology, Julius-Maximilians-University of Würzburg, D-97070, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Alexander T El Gammal
- General, Visceral and Thoracic Surgery Department, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, D-20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Eugen Bellon
- General, Visceral and Thoracic Surgery Department, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, D-20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Esther K Diekhof
- Universität Hamburg, Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences, Department of Biology, Institute of Zoology, Neuroendocrinology Unit, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, D-20146, Hamburg, Germany
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Ponseti J, Bruhn D, Nolting J, Gerwinn H, Pohl A, Stirn A, Granert O, Laufs H, Deuschl G, Wolff S, Jansen O, Siebner H, Briken P, Mohnke S, Amelung T, Kneer J, Schiffer B, Walter H, Kruger THC. Decoding Pedophilia: Increased Anterior Insula Response to Infant Animal Pictures. Front Hum Neurosci 2018; 11:645. [PMID: 29403367 PMCID: PMC5778266 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2017] [Accepted: 12/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous research found increased brain responses of men with sexual interest in children (i.e., pedophiles) not only to pictures of naked children but also to pictures of child faces. This opens the possibly that pedophilia is linked (in addition to or instead of an aberrant sexual system) to an over-active nurturing system. To test this hypothesis we exposed pedophiles and healthy controls to pictures of infant and adult animals during functional magnetic resonance imaging of the brain. By using pictures of infant animals (instead of human infants), we aimed to elicit nurturing processing without triggering sexual processing. We hypothesized that elevated brain responses to nurturing stimuli will be found - in addition to other brain areas - in the anterior insula of pedophiles because this area was repeatedly found to be activated when adults see pictures of babies. Behavioral ratings confirmed that pictures of infant or adult animals were not perceived as sexually arousing neither by the pedophilic participants nor by the heathy controls. Statistical analysis was applied to the whole brain as well as to the anterior insula as region of interest. Only in pedophiles did infants relative to adult animals increase brain activity in the anterior insula, supplementary motor cortex, and dorsolateral prefrontal areas. Within-group analysis revealed an increased brain response to infant animals in the left anterior insular cortex of the pedophilic participants. Currently, pedophilia is considered the consequence of disturbed sexual or executive brain processing, but details are far from known. The present findings raise the question whether there is also an over-responsive nurturing system in pedophilia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Ponseti
- Institute of Sexual Medicine and Forensic Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Kiel University, Medical School, Kiel, Germany
| | - Daniel Bruhn
- Institute of Sexual Medicine and Forensic Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Kiel University, Medical School, Kiel, Germany
| | - Julia Nolting
- Institute of Sexual Medicine and Forensic Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Kiel University, Medical School, Kiel, Germany
| | - Hannah Gerwinn
- Institute of Sexual Medicine and Forensic Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Kiel University, Medical School, Kiel, Germany
| | - Alexander Pohl
- Institute of Sexual Medicine and Forensic Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Kiel University, Medical School, Kiel, Germany
| | - Aglaja Stirn
- Institute of Sexual Medicine and Forensic Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Kiel University, Medical School, Kiel, Germany
| | - Oliver Granert
- Department of Neurology, Kiel University, Medical School, Kiel, Germany
| | - Helmut Laufs
- Department of Neurology, Kiel University, Medical School, Kiel, Germany
| | - Günther Deuschl
- Department of Neurology, Kiel University, Medical School, Kiel, Germany
| | - Stephan Wolff
- Department of Radiology and Neuroradiology, Kiel University, Medical School, Kiel, Germany
| | - Olav Jansen
- Department of Radiology and Neuroradiology, Kiel University, Medical School, Kiel, Germany
| | - Hartwig Siebner
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark
- Department of Neurology, Copenhagen University Hospital Bispebjerg, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Peer Briken
- Institute for Sex Research and Forensic Psychiatry, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Mohnke
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Till Amelung
- Institute of Sexology and Sexual Medicine, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jonas Kneer
- Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Section of Clinical Psychology and Sexual Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Boris Schiffer
- Division of Forensic Psychiatry, LWL-University Hospital Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Henrik Walter
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tillmann H. C. Kruger
- Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Section of Clinical Psychology and Sexual Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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Johnson ZV, Young LJ. Oxytocin and vasopressin neural networks: Implications for social behavioral diversity and translational neuroscience. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 76:87-98. [PMID: 28434591 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.01.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 179] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2016] [Revised: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 01/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin- and vasopressin-related systems are present in invertebrate and vertebrate bilaterian animals, including humans, and exhibit conserved neuroanatomical and functional properties. In vertebrates, these systems innervate conserved neural networks that regulate social learning and behavior, including conspecific recognition, social attachment, and parental behavior. Individual and species-level variation in central organization of oxytocin and vasopressin systems has been linked to individual and species variation in social learning and behavior. In humans, genetic polymorphisms in the genes encoding oxytocin and vasopressin peptides and/or their respective target receptors have been associated with individual variation in social recognition, social attachment phenotypes, parental behavior, and psychiatric phenotypes such as autism. Here we describe both conserved and variable features of central oxytocin and vasopressin systems in the context of social behavioral diversity, with a particular focus on neural networks that modulate social learning, behavior, and salience of sociosensory stimuli during species-typical social contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary V Johnson
- Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA; School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.
| | - Larry J Young
- Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
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Lucion MK, Oliveira V, Bizarro L, Bischoff AR, Silveira PP, Kauer-Sant'Anna M. Attentional bias toward infant faces – Review of the adaptive and clinical relevance. Int J Psychophysiol 2017; 114:1-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2017.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2016] [Revised: 01/17/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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Pawluski JL, Lonstein JS, Fleming AS. The Neurobiology of Postpartum Anxiety and Depression. Trends Neurosci 2017; 40:106-120. [PMID: 28129895 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2016.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 169] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2016] [Revised: 11/28/2016] [Accepted: 11/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Ten to twenty percent of postpartum women experience anxiety or depressive disorders, which can have detrimental effects on the mother, child, and family. Little is known about the neural correlates of these affective disorders when they occur in mothers, but they do have unique neural profiles during the postpartum period compared with when they occur at other times in a woman's life. Given that the neural systems affected by postpartum anxiety and depression overlap and interact with the systems involved in maternal caregiving behaviors, mother-infant interactions are highly susceptible to disruption. Thus, there is an intricate interplay among maternal mental health, the mother-infant relationship, and the neurobiological mechanisms mediating them that needs to be the focus of future study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jodi L Pawluski
- Inserm U1085-IRSET, Université de Rennes 1, Campus Villejean, 35000 Rennes, France.
| | - Joseph S Lonstein
- Neuroscience Program & Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
| | - Alison S Fleming
- Psychology and Fraser Mustard Institute for Human Development, University of Toronto at Mississauga (UTM), Mississauga, ONT L5L1C6, Canada
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Proverbio AM, Galli J. Women are better at seeing faces where there are none: an ERP study of face pareidolia. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2016; 11:1501-12. [PMID: 27217120 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsw064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2016] [Accepted: 04/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded in 26 right-handed students while they detected pictures of animals intermixed with those of familiar objects, faces and faces-in-things (FITs). The face-specific N170 ERP component over the right hemisphere was larger in response to faces and FITs than to objects. The vertex positive potential (VPP) showed a difference in FIT encoding processes between males and females at frontal sites; while for men, the FIT stimuli elicited a VPP of intermediate amplitude (between that for faces and objects), for women, there was no difference in VPP responses to faces or FITs, suggesting a marked anthropomorphization of objects in women. SwLORETA source reconstructions carried out to estimate the intracortical generators of ERPs in the 150-190 ms time window showed how, in the female brain, FIT perception was associated with the activation of brain areas involved in the affective processing of faces (right STS, BA22; posterior cingulate cortex, BA22; and orbitofrontal cortex, BA10) in addition to regions linked to shape processing (left cuneus, BA18/30). Conversely, in the men, the activation of occipito/parietal regions was prevalent, with a considerably smaller activation of BA10. The data suggest that the female brain is more inclined to anthropomorphize perfectly real objects compared to the male brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice M Proverbio
- Department Of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Jessica Galli
- Department Of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
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Okamoto M, Shirasu M, Fujita R, Hirasawa Y, Touhara K. Child Odors and Parenting: A Survey Examination of the Role of Odor in Child-Rearing. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0154392. [PMID: 27138751 PMCID: PMC4854394 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0154392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2015] [Accepted: 04/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Parental caregiving is critical for the survival of our young and continuation of our species. In humans, visual and auditory signals from offspring have been shown to be potent facilitators of parenting. However, whether odors emitted by our young also influence human parenting remains unclear. To explore this, we conducted a series of questionnaire surveys targeting parents with children under 6 years old. First, we collected episodes on experiencing odors/sniffing various parts of a child’s body (n = 507). The prevalence of experiencing events described in those episodes was examined in a separate survey (n = 384). Based on those results, the Child Odor in Parenting scale (COPs) was developed, and subsequently used in the main survey (n = 888). We found COPs to have adequate content validity, concurrent validity, and reliability. Responses to the COPs demonstrated that parents, especially mothers with infants, are aware of odors from their offspring, and actively seek them in daily child-rearing. The factor structure and content of the COPs items indicated that child odors have both affective and instrumental roles. Affective experiences induce loving feeling and affectionate sniffing, while instrumental experiences pertain to specific hygienic needs. The head was the most frequent source of affective experiences, and the child’s bottom of instrumental. Each was experienced by more than 90% of the mothers with a child below 1 year of age. Affective experiences significantly declined as the child grew older, possibly associated with the decline of physical proximity between parents and child. This age-related decline was not prominent for instrumental experiences, except for the bottom, which significantly declined after 3 years of age. The present findings suggest that child odors play roles in human parenting, and that their nature and significance change during the course of a child’s development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masako Okamoto
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113–8657, Japan
- ERATO Touhara Chemosensory Signal Project, JST, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113–8657, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Mika Shirasu
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113–8657, Japan
- ERATO Touhara Chemosensory Signal Project, JST, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113–8657, Japan
| | - Rei Fujita
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113–8657, Japan
- ERATO Touhara Chemosensory Signal Project, JST, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113–8657, Japan
- Technical Research Institute, Research & Development Center, T. Hasegawa Co., Ltd, Kanagawa, 211–0022, Japan
| | - Yukei Hirasawa
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113–8657, Japan
- ERATO Touhara Chemosensory Signal Project, JST, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113–8657, Japan
| | - Kazushige Touhara
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113–8657, Japan
- ERATO Touhara Chemosensory Signal Project, JST, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113–8657, Japan
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Teng KT, McGreevy PD, Toribio JALML, Dhand NK. Trends in popularity of some morphological traits of purebred dogs in Australia. Canine Genet Epidemiol 2016; 3:2. [PMID: 27051522 PMCID: PMC4820977 DOI: 10.1186/s40575-016-0032-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2015] [Accepted: 03/03/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The morphology of dogs can provide information about their predisposition to some disorders. For example, larger breeds are predisposed to hip dysplasia and many neoplastic diseases. Therefore, longitudinal trends in popularity of dog morphology can reveal potential disease pervasiveness in the future. There have been reports on the popularity of particular breeds and behavioural traits but trends in the morphological traits of preferred breeds have not been studied. METHODS This study investigated trends in the height, dog size and head shape (cephalic index) of Australian purebred dogs. One hundred eighty-one breeds derived from Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC) registration statistics from 1986 to 2013 were analysed. Weighted regression analyses were conducted to examine trends in the traits by using them as outcome variables, with year as the explanatory variable and numbers of registered dogs as weights. Linear regression investigated dog height and cephalic index (skull width/skull length), and multinomial logistic regression studied dog size. RESULTS The total number of ANKC registration had decreased gradually from 95,792 in 1986 to 66,902 in 2013. Both weighted minimal height (p = 0.014) and weighted maximal height (p < 0.001) decreased significantly over time, and the weighted cephalic index increased significantly (p < 0.001). The odds of registration of medium and small breeds increased by 5.3 % and 4.2 %, respectively, relative to large breeds (p < 0.001) and by 12.1 % and 11.0 %, respectively, relative to giant breeds (p < 0.001) for each 5-year block of time. CONCLUSIONS Compared to taller and larger breeds, shorter and smaller breeds have become relatively popular over time. Mean cephalic index has increased, which indicates that Australians have gradually favoured breeds with shorter and wider heads (brachycephalic). These significant trends indicate that the dog morphological traits reported here may potentially influence how people select companion dogs in Australia and provide valuable predictive information on the pervasiveness of diseases in dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kendy T Teng
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, JD Stewart Building (B01), Camperdown, NSW 2050 Australia
| | - Paul D McGreevy
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, R.M.C. Gunn Building (B19), Camperdown, NSW 2050 Australia
| | - Jenny-Ann L M L Toribio
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, JL Shute Building (C01A), 425 Werombi Road, Camden, NSW 2570 Australia
| | - Navneet K Dhand
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, JL Shute Building (C01A), 425 Werombi Road, Camden, NSW 2570 Australia
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Borgi M, Cirulli F. Pet Face: Mechanisms Underlying Human-Animal Relationships. Front Psychol 2016; 7:298. [PMID: 27014120 PMCID: PMC4782005 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Accepted: 02/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulating behavioral and neurophysiological studies support the idea of infantile (cute) faces as highly biologically relevant stimuli rapidly and unconsciously capturing attention and eliciting positive/affectionate behaviors, including willingness to care. It has been hypothesized that the presence of infantile physical and behavioral features in companion (or pet) animals (i.e., dogs and cats) might form the basis of our attraction to these species. Preliminary evidence has indeed shown that the human attentional bias toward the baby schema may extend to animal facial configurations. In this review, the role of facial cues, specifically of infantile traits and facial signals (i.e., eyes gaze) as emotional and communicative signals is highlighted and discussed as regulating the human-animal bond, similarly to what can be observed in the adult-infant interaction context. Particular emphasis is given to the neuroendocrine regulation of the social bond between humans and animals through oxytocin secretion. Instead of considering companion animals as mere baby substitutes for their owners, in this review we highlight the central role of cats and dogs in human lives. Specifically, we consider the ability of companion animals to bond with humans as fulfilling the need for attention and emotional intimacy, thus serving similar psychological and adaptive functions as human-human friendships. In this context, facial cuteness is viewed not just as a releaser of care/parental behavior, but, more in general, as a trait motivating social engagement. To conclude, the impact of this information for applied disciplines is briefly described, particularly in consideration of the increasing evidence of the beneficial effects of contacts with animals for human health and wellbeing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Borgi
- Section of Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Cell Biology and Neurosciences, Istituto Superiore di Sanità Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Cirulli
- Section of Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Cell Biology and Neurosciences, Istituto Superiore di Sanità Rome, Italy
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