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Socioemotional Development during Infancy

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Socio-emotional development in infancy is primarily shaped by early emotional responses and social connections, with temperament playing a central role. Temperament refers to the consistent patterns in an individual's emotional and behavioral responses, observable even in infancy. By examining temperament, researchers can better understand an infant's unique ways of interacting with the world, influencing subsequent personality and socio-emotional growth.
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Attachment is vital for infant development, as warm social interactions support growth and well-being. In a classic 1958 study by Harry Harlow, the significance of warmth and comfort in forming attachments was examined. Harlow separated newborn monkeys from their mothers and provided two artificial "mothers": one made of cold wire and the other covered in soft cloth. Despite the wire mother offering food, the infant monkeys preferred the comfort of the cloth mother, demonstrating that...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 10, 2026

Measuring Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System ANS Activity in Toddlers - Resting and Developmental Challenges

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Dimensions of Maternal Parenting and Infants' Autonomic Functioning Interactively Predict Early Internalizing

Nicholas J Wagner^1,2, Cathi Propper³, Noa Gueron-Sela⁴

¹Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB#3270 Davie Hall, Room 217, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-3270, USA. wagnern@live.unc.edu.

Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology

|June 12, 2015

Summary

Maternal sensitivity in infancy is linked to fewer childhood internalizing behaviors. Infant autonomic functioning, particularly heart period, moderates the impact of parenting on anxious/depressed behaviors.

Keywords:

Anxiety Autonomic nervous system Depression Internalizing Parenting

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Area of Science:

Developmental Psychology
Child Psychiatry
Behavioral Pediatrics

Background:

Childhood internalizing behaviors are complex, influenced by environmental and child factors.
Understanding early life predictors is crucial for intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

Examine associations between infant caregiving and early childhood internalizing behaviors.
Investigate moderation by infant autonomic functioning (respiratory sinus arrhythmia and heart period).

Main Methods:

Prospective longitudinal study with 206 infants.
Assessed caregiving dimensions (maternal sensitivity, negative intrusiveness, positive engagement) in the first year.
Measured infant autonomic functioning (RSA, HP) and child behaviors (anxious/depressed, withdrawn) at age 3.

Main Results:

Higher maternal sensitivity predicted fewer anxious/depressed and withdrawn behaviors.
Negative intrusiveness was linked to increased anxious/depressed behaviors.
Infant heart period moderated the link between negative intrusiveness and anxious/depressed behaviors; positive engagement and withdrawn behaviors.

Conclusions:

Early caregiving experiences significantly impact childhood internalizing behaviors.
Infant autonomic functioning, especially heart period, plays a moderating role.
Overall autonomic functioning may be more critical than parasympathetic activity alone in infancy.