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Behavioral reactivity and approach-withdrawal bias in infancy

Amie Ashley Hane1, Nathan A Fox, Heather A Henderson

  • 1Department of Psychology, Williams College, Bronfman Science Center, Williamstown, MA 01267, USA. ahane@williams.edu

Developmental Psychology
|September 17, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Infant emotional reactivity, whether positive or negative, is linked to distinct behavioral patterns and brain activity. This study reveals how approach-withdrawal tendencies in babies relate to their temperament and electroencephalogram asymmetry.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental psychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Infant behavior

Background:

  • Temperament in infancy is crucial for understanding socio-emotional development.
  • Early identification of reactivity patterns can inform interventions.
  • Electroencephalogram (EEG) asymmetry is a potential biomarker for emotional reactivity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between motor and emotional reactivity in 9-month-old infants.
  • To examine behavioral differences (approach-withdrawal) associated with distinct reactivity patterns.
  • To explore the link between infant reactivity and baseline electroencephalogram (EEG) asymmetry.

Main Methods:

  • Screened 779 infants at 4 months for motor and emotional reactivity.
  • Assessed 9-month-old infants with extreme reactivity patterns (negative or positive) and a control group using the Laboratory Temperament Assessment Battery.
  • Collected baseline electroencephalogram (EEG) data from participating infants.

Main Results:

  • Negatively reactive infants displayed significantly more avoidance behavior compared to positively reactive infants.
  • Positively reactive infants showed significantly more approach behavior than control infants.
  • Negatively reactive infants exhibited right frontal EEG asymmetry, while positively reactive infants showed left frontal asymmetry.

Conclusions:

  • Approach-withdrawal bias is a fundamental aspect of infant reactivity.
  • Specific patterns of emotional reactivity in infancy are associated with distinct behavioral and neural correlates.
  • Findings contribute to understanding the neurodevelopmental underpinnings of temperament.

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