Faculty Publications

Mothers' Responses To The Cries Of Normal And Premature Infants As A Function Of The Birth Status Of Their Own Child

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book/Conference Title

Journal of Research in Personality

Volume

15

Issue

1

First Page

122

Last Page

133

Abstract

Mothers of premature and full-term infants viewed and heard videotapes of premature and full-term infants. The onset of crying by both infants elicited physiological arousal (evident in blood pressure, skin conductance, and heart rate increases) in the adults. The mothers of premature infants responded with especially marked arousal to the infants' cries. These mothers also reported that they were more attentive and alert while the infant was crying. The subjects responded similarly to the cries of full-term and premature infants. Mothers who described their own baby as easy exhibited a lower increase in diastolic blood pressure and heart rate, and reported being more alert, attentive, and willing to interact with the stimulus babies than those whose own baby appeared "difficult.". © 1981.

Department

Department of Psychology

Original Publication Date

1-1-1981

DOI of published version

10.1016/0092-6566(81)90012-X

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