3.3 The Rooting Reflex

Recognize the purpose and action of the rooting reflex.

Rooting

A powerful evidence of a newborn’s ability is the natural response a newborn has to being gently stroked on the cheek. The newborn child will turn its head toward the touching and stroking. The pre-wiring for this to occur has been shown to direct a child toward its mother’s breast so the child will be nourished by its mother’s milk. This inborn ability for the newborn to move its mouth toward its mother’s breast for nourishment is found in children of all cultures. Gently touching a baby’s cheek with a finger, a pacifier, or anything else will result in the same rooting behavior of the baby’s moving its lips and mouth to the object touching the cheek and then sucking that object.

Maturation—growth, genes, experience, order

As infants grow older, they lose many of their inborn reflexes and gain much more of their growth through experiences and learning. Touch sleeping adults or older children on the cheek and you will see that they may move to avoid the tickle or annoyance, but will not begin sucking your finger or the object touching their cheeks. In spite of the loss of many simple reflexes, however, maturational growth is still more nature than nurture. Physical development is more easily predicted if you know the patterns of your parents. Growing facial hair or gaining height is not affected much by your activities or who you hang around with. It is also very important to recognize that biological maturation is orderly and relatively specific.

Maturation timing often affects teens’ self-image. Earlier-maturing girls often report feeling self-conscious, “out of place,” and insecure. They are often the object of older boys’ attention, which results in struggles with self-esteem coming from attractiveness and “sex appeal” concerns and obsessions. Earlier-maturing boys more often report feelings of self-confidence because they are asked to lead and help out. Conversely, later-maturing girls report greater self-confidence, while later-maturing boys report less self-confidence. Fortunately, most level out with greater self-confidence by the end of adolescence.

Continuity

Another important aspect of development is that of continuity—the gradual movement from one stage to another. Although some stages of development are entered or left behind rather suddenly, there is still a movement from one to another that is generally gradual. Although some developmental changes may appear to occur over night, no boy goes to bed one night speaking with a high child’s voice and wakes the next morning with an adult’s low voice and a full beard (unless, of course, he were Rip Van Winkle). The changes are gradual and continuous. When the changes appear to be abrupt and “overnight,” it is because you did not notice the gradual change and maturation. Those who emphasize learning and the effects of experience on development describe the process as slow and continuous. Those who see development as a process of biological maturation describe the continuous steps we take as sequential, orderly, and predetermined.