The human newborn's umwelt: Unexplored pathways and perspectives
Vanessa André1, Séverine Henry2, Alban Lemasson2
1Université de Rennes 1, Ethologie Animale et Humaine, EthoS, UMR 6552, CNRS, Université Caen Normandie, Rennes, France. vanessa.andre@univ-rennes1.fr.
Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
|May 3, 2017
Summary
Newborns are aware of their surroundings, contrary to historical beliefs. This review updates knowledge on infant sensory development and its impact on well-being.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal development
- Developmental psychology
- Sensory neuroscience
Background:
- Historically, newborns, particularly premature infants, were considered insensitive to their environment.
- Recent evidence indicates newborns possess awareness, but the timing and extent of sensory capacities are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current knowledge on the newborn's perceptual world and adaptation to the postnatal sensory environment.
- To determine the emergence of sensory abilities during prenatal and postnatal periods.
- To discuss methodologies for studying infant senses.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on newborn sensory perception.
- Analysis of research methodologies used to assess infant sensory capacities.
- Inclusion of comparative data from animal studies.
Main Results:
- Newborns are demonstrably sentient, possessing developed sensory awareness.
- Significant gaps remain in understanding the precise onset and full extent of various sensory abilities.
- Discrepancies in study findings may be attributed to internal and external influencing factors.
Conclusions:
- Newborns are sentient beings with developing sensory awareness.
- Further research is needed to clarify sensory development timelines and influencing factors.
- Understanding neonatal sensory capacities is crucial for enhancing infant welfare and assessing environmental impacts.
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