Related Experiment Videos
[Skin contact as a first experience. From touching to caressing]
1Collège de France, Paris.
La Psychiatrie De L'Enfant
|January 1, 1989
Summary
This study explores the skin's crucial role in infant-mother bonding, highlighting how touch and skin-to-skin contact foster early emotional development and security. Cultural aspects of touch are also examined.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Neuropsychology
- Psychoanalysis
- Ethology
Background:
- The infant-mother relationship is foundational for early development.
- Skin-to-skin contact plays a vital role in establishing security and affective bonds.
- Cultural norms influence the expression and perception of touch.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review ethological and psychoanalytical concepts related to early development.
- To examine the role of the skin in the infant-mother relationship across fetal, neonatal, and early childhood stages.
- To discuss the cultural significance of touch and its impact on affective functioning.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of ethological and psychoanalytical theories.
- Analysis of the role of skin in mother-infant interactions.
- Discussion of cultural influences on tactile experiences.
Main Results:
- Skin-to-skin experiences are essential for developing mutual affective functioning.
- Tactile interactions like cuddling and hugging build security and body-to-body dialogue.
- The skin serves as a primary interface for early emotional connection.
Conclusions:
- Shared pleasurable skin-to-skin experiences are fundamental to infant-mother bonding.
- Tactile communication is critical for establishing emotional security and development.
- Cultural context shapes the understanding and practice of touch in relationships.