Newborns and reflexes

Familiarity in newborns

Newborns can demonstrate recognition of sounds or stories heard in the womb, indicated by behavioral responses such as sucking patterns.

Cat in the Hat study (Ganger, 1984)

This study showed that babies exposed to a specific story in the womb could recognize it after birth, sucking faster on a dummy when hearing it.

Neonatal reflexes

Innate reflexes present in newborns, such as gripping or rooting, which are vestigial and relate to evolutionary survival.

Proprioception

The awareness of the position and movement of one's body parts, which newborns possess even from birth.

Myelination

The process of forming a myelin sheath around the nerves, crucial for quick transmission of impulses, significant in early brain development.

Critical periods

Specific times in development when the presence of certain stimuli is essential for normal development; missing these can lead to permanent deficits.

Brazelton testing

A series of assessments developed to evaluate the neural and behavioral capacities of newborns.

Visual acuity in newborns

Newborn vision is quite limited, allowing them to see clearly only up to about 20 feet, compared to 400 feet for an adult.