Does parenting style impact a baby’s development? Many parents want their children to be curious and courageous, but at the same time be safe, and it is a struggle to find the balance between these two things. In a study conducted in Singapore, researchers observed how parenting impacts a baby’s brain. Within the first few weeks of life, newborns were placed into an MRI machine to have their brains scanned as a baseline for their brain development. Then, when the participating babies were six months in age, their mothers were invited back so that their parenting behaviour could be observed.
The mothers began to play with their babies while researchers rated the mother’s behaviours using a system of descriptive cards. For example, if an infant started to cry, was the mother quick to respond? Or, if the baby wanted to play with something, did the mother choose the toy for the baby or did she let the baby pick the toy? These types of actions helped show what the relationship between the mother and her infant was like.
When the observations were finished, the babies were placed back into an MRI machine to have their brains scanned again. It was discovered that hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for the formation of new memories, learning and emotions, differed according to the different parenting styles. The babies who received less attention and responsive caregiving had a larger hippocampi than the babies who received more attention and responsive caregiving, which indicated that the babies had already started to learn how to manage stress due to lack of attention. It was concluded that the more attention a baby received, the more likely they were to feel comfortable and safe, which would ultimately give them the freedom to explore the world around them because they didn’t need to prioritize their safety and comfort first.
