Photo credit: www.sciencedaily.com
The signals from our bodies, such as heartbeat and breathing, are ever-present yet often fade into the background of our awareness. In the formative years of life, these signals play a crucial role in shaping self-awareness and identity. However, insights into how infants perceive these bodily signals have remained limited until now.
A groundbreaking study conducted by the Wiener Kinderstudien Lab at the University of Vienna has revealed that infants as young as three months can indeed perceive their own heartbeat. This research, led by experts from the University of Vienna alongside colleagues from the University of Potsdam and Royal Holloway University of London, also examined infants’ awareness of their own breathing for the first time. The findings were published in the journal eLife.
The detection of internal body signals is intricately connected to emotional awareness, mental health, and how individuals perceive themselves. The early ability to recognize these signals is particularly vital, as it often lays the groundwork for interactions with caregivers. For instance, babies depend on caregivers to accurately respond to their cues of hunger or discomfort. Furthermore, this early awareness helps develop a sense of identity and self-awareness through bodily experiences.
The study indicates that 3-month-old infants can discern their own heartbeat, and this ability remains relatively constant over the first two years. In contrast, the perception of breathing shows marked improvement during the second year of life. Notably, the study found that the abilities to perceive heartbeat and breathing operate independently, which mirrors findings observed in adults.
Assessing body awareness in infants presents unique challenges, as they cannot provide verbal feedback like adults. To tackle this, the research team devised innovative methodologies that involved tracking infants’ eye movements while they observed animated figures. These figures moved either in harmony with the infants’ heartbeats or breathing, or with a slight lag. The results demonstrated that even at such a young age, babies could recognize the synchronization between their bodily rhythms and the movements of the figures, as evidenced by their prolonged gaze at the synchronous motions. According to lead author Markus Tünte from the University of Vienna, “The babies must have recognized that the figures moved simultaneously with their heartbeat or breathing, and then they paid more attention.”
This research paves the way for further exploration in developmental psychology. It raises important questions about the interplay between early body awareness and the development of emotional and social competencies, as well as the impact of parental influence on early body perception. Ultimately, such inquiries could inform strategies to foster healthy body awareness in children, potentially enhancing their overall mental well-being.
Source
www.sciencedaily.com