DieHardBrownsFan Posted January 9, 2013 Report Share Posted January 9, 2013 Modern Parenting May Hinder Brain Development, Research Suggests "Life outcomes for American youth are worsening, especially in comparison to 50 years ago," says Darcia Narvaez, Notre Dame professor of psychology who specializes in moral development in children and how early life experiences can influence brain development. "Ill-advised practices and beliefs have become commonplace in our culture, such as the use of infant formula, the isolation of infants in their own rooms or the belief that responding too quickly to a fussing baby will 'spoil' it," Narvaez says. This new research links certain early, nurturing parenting practices -- the kind common in foraging hunter-gatherer societies -- to specific, healthy emotional outcomes in adulthood, and has many experts rethinking some of our modern, cultural child-rearing "norms." "Breast-feeding infants, responsiveness to crying, almost constant touch and having multiple adult caregivers are some of the nurturing ancestral parenting practices that are shown to positively impact the developing brain, which not only shapes personality, but also helps physical health and moral development," says Narvaez. Studies show that responding to a baby's needs (not letting a baby "cry it out") has been shown to influence the development of conscience; positive touch affects stress reactivity, impulse control and empathy; free play in nature influences social capacities and aggression; and a set of supportive caregivers (beyond the mother alone) predicts IQ and ego resilience as well as empathy. The United States has been on a downward trajectory on all of these care characteristics, according to Narvaez. Instead of being held, infants spend much more time in carriers, car seats and strollers than they did in the past. Only about 15 percent of mothers are breast-feeding at all by 12 months, extended families are broken up and free play allowed by parents has decreased dramatically since 1970. Whether the corollary to these modern practices or the result of other forces, an epidemic of anxiety and depression among all age groups, including young children; rising rates of aggressive behavior and delinquency in young children; and decreasing empathy, the backbone of compassionate, moral behavior, among college students, are shown in research. According to Narvaez, however, other relatives and teachers also can have a beneficial impact when a child feels safe in their presence. Also, early deficits can be made up later, she says. "The right brain, which governs much of our self-regulation, creativity and empathy, can grow throughout life. The right brain grows though full-body experience like rough-and-tumble play, dancing or freelance artistic creation. So at any point, a parent can take up a creative activity with a child and they can grow together." Further information: http://ccf.nd.edu/symposium/2012-symposium-presentations/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaporTrail Posted January 9, 2013 Report Share Posted January 9, 2013 Brain plasticity (the ability of the brain to rewire its circuitry) is a really fascinating topic, and if anyone's looking for a book that's accessible to someone with a non-science background, I'd recommend "The Brain that Changes Itself" by Norman Doidge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballpeen Posted January 10, 2013 Report Share Posted January 10, 2013 I think 2-3 good swats on the ass balances the brain and solves the thinking problem. JMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted January 10, 2013 Report Share Posted January 10, 2013 In my not so humble opinion brain development is hindered by most everything in modern life. How many times have you traveled from point A to point be using your GPS to realize that you have no idea how you got there? How often do you balance your checkbook with a calculator? How often do you read a news article instead of just gleaning the fact you want from a website? How often do you jump in the car to go a quarter mile to pick up soda pop or something? How much is the process of natural selection being overwritten by the fact that we can keep week sick people alive indefinitely? How much has the human natural defense system then weakened from being insulated from germs and outside play? How much weaker are the hordes of children who sit in front of the tube playing video games instead of baseball? As the welfare state grows and expands how much weaker are the families who have been taken care of by the state for generations? Anybody ever calculate the unwanted and unknown side effects from pesticides gasoline dynamite antibiotics computers televisions radio? Face it Fellowes, that Genie won't go back into the bottle. WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legacy Fan Posted January 11, 2013 Report Share Posted January 11, 2013 ^^ Good post, Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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