by In a recent study published in the Journal of Child Language, researchers at Virginia Tech have uncovered new insights into the way mothers speak to their infants and pets. Previous studies have focused on how mothers speak to their infants, but this research examined the positive emotional aspect of a mother’s speech.
The study, conducted by Professor Robin Panneton from the Department of Psychology at Virginia Tech, aimed to investigate the differences in how mothers speak to their infants and puppies. The researchers found that while mothers do not hyperarticulate or speak more clearly to their pets, they do raise their pitch and slow down when communicating with them. However, the level of vocal emotion was found to be lower when speaking to pets compared to infants.
To further understand this phenomenon, the researchers conducted an experiment where mothers were asked to speak to their infants using three objects: a boot, a ball, and a bead. The same exercise was then repeated with a puppy and an undergraduate student. The order in which the objects were used was randomized to eliminate any potential bias.
The results revealed that when speaking to the puppy, mothers exhibited the same level of vocal emotion as when speaking to their infants. This suggests that the emotional connection between mother and child extends beyond humans to include pets. Both baby and puppy speech were rated as higher in emotion compared to speech directed at adults.
These findings have important implications for future research in language development and for supporting mothers who may not be able to speak as positively and emotionally to their infants. The study highlights the importance of considering emotion alongside speech clarity in understanding how mothers communicate with their children.
Professor Panneton also emphasized the need to consider factors such as age and life circumstances when examining variations in the way mothers speak to their infants. For example, mothers experiencing postpartum depression or managing multiple jobs may require additional support in this area.
Overall, this study sheds light on the unique bond between mothers and their infants, extending even to pets. By understanding the emotional aspect of mother’s speech, researchers can further explore the role of emotion in language development. This knowledge can also inform interventions and support strategies for mothers facing various challenges.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
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