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Lost your keys? Your baby can help!
Filed under: Babies, Toddlers Preschoolers, Development/Milestones: Babies, In The News
Who doesn't love babies? Those chubby arms and legs, those tiny hands and feet, those big round heads - they just ooze cuddly adorableness. But let's face it, as cute as they are, babies just don't have that much to offer when it comes to helping out around the house. Ask a baby to pour you a glass of juice and all you will get is a blank stare. Need to go somewhere and can't find your keys? Better get searching yourself because baby won't lift a finger to help you out. Or will she?
According to a new study out of Germany, babies aren't as clueless as you may think. Conventional wisdom holds that until about the age of two, babies aren't very good communicators. But it turns out that just because babies can't talk, doesn't mean they don't have something to tell you. Like where you left your keys.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute asked 49 one-year-olds to help their parents search for an object that had fallen out of sight when the parent wasn't looking. Most of the babies were actually able to help - communicating non-verbally to show the parent the location of the missing object. The report says: "One-year-olds, before they have language skills, can point informatively and communicate appropriately for ignorant adults."
But the babies in the study weren't about to go locating objects for adults who didn't actually need their help. When an object fell out of sight while the parent was watching, the babies were less likely to share their knowledge of where it went. "In contrast to classic views of infant communication, infants' early pointing at 12 months is already based on an understanding of others' knowledge and ignorance, along with a motive to help others," said researcher Malinda Carpenter.
A motive to help others! That just makes me love babies even more.
According to a new study out of Germany, babies aren't as clueless as you may think. Conventional wisdom holds that until about the age of two, babies aren't very good communicators. But it turns out that just because babies can't talk, doesn't mean they don't have something to tell you. Like where you left your keys.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute asked 49 one-year-olds to help their parents search for an object that had fallen out of sight when the parent wasn't looking. Most of the babies were actually able to help - communicating non-verbally to show the parent the location of the missing object. The report says: "One-year-olds, before they have language skills, can point informatively and communicate appropriately for ignorant adults."
But the babies in the study weren't about to go locating objects for adults who didn't actually need their help. When an object fell out of sight while the parent was watching, the babies were less likely to share their knowledge of where it went. "In contrast to classic views of infant communication, infants' early pointing at 12 months is already based on an understanding of others' knowledge and ignorance, along with a motive to help others," said researcher Malinda Carpenter.
A motive to help others! That just makes me love babies even more.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
9-18-2008 @ 4:36PM
pbhj said..."One-year-olds, before they have language skills, can point informatively and communicate appropriately for ignorant adults."
If you've done baby sign then you'll know that by one year they can tell you they want a drink, want their mum, want the potty (our J was sat on the potty along time before he could sit by himself, from about 6 months, crappy nappies are a great motivator!), want food or not.
Reply
9-18-2008 @ 4:53PM
Sabrina said...I have been saying this since my DD was little. Both kids have come up to hand me things I've lost, even things I didn't KNOW I'd lost! In my personal opinion it's because they're closer to the floor and can see things at a different angle than adults.
Reply
9-18-2008 @ 5:32PM
ame s said...Not surprising, considering how good they are at finding things we try to hide from them on purpose ;)
After my younger daughter began walking, several of my nicer nighties went missing. I ended up finding them in...the china hutch.
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9-18-2008 @ 9:31PM
Jan Bay said...Since my little darlings are usually the ones that stick my keys, lipstick and anything else they can lay their hands on in weird places it makes sense to ask them to help me find stuff when it goes missing.
I try to watch my girls carefully, but I have to confess that I once found my billfold in the toaster oven; thankfully I didn't preheat that day.
Jan from http://www.unique-baby-gear-ideas.com/
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9-18-2008 @ 11:33PM
Kam Wilson said...I love it! It seems like every baby I have, I become more in tune and aware. Babies are truly amazing communicators if we just take time to listen.
Kam from http://www.raisinglakota.com
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9-19-2008 @ 12:02AM
Sandyone said...I love it...a study. I always ask whomever is my youngest where something has gone. They are terrific at finding stuff (especially the stuff that they hid themselves!).
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9-19-2008 @ 7:26AM
Don said...Yeah I think this is a hit or miss kind of thing.
My 13 month old hid one of his shoes a few days ago, and we asked and asked where it was. The only response we got was shoulder shrug and his palms up in the air.
We found it yesterday stuffed in the Kitchen Island, after we saw him playing in there. Or maybe he didn't want to go grocery shopping the other day?
FYI The kitchen Island cabinet is not secured and contains only Tupperware, so he feels that he can explore.
Great article and study, thank you
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