ERIC Number: EJ958331
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2007-Jun
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1522-7219
EISSN: N/A
Gender-Related Differences in Neonatal Imitation
Nagy, Emese; Kompagne, Hajnalka; Orvos, Hajnalka; Pal, Attila
Infant and Child Development, v16 n3 p267-276 Jun 2007
Socio-emotional behaviour is in part sex-related in humans, although the contribution of the biological and socio-cultural factors is not yet known. This study explores sex-related differences during the earliest communicative exchange, the neonatal imitation in 43 newborn infants (3-96 hours old) using an index finger extension imitative gesture. Results showed that although the experimenter presented comparable stimuli to both sexes, and the total number of movements was similar in boys and girls, girls showed more fine motor movements, a higher number of specific imitative gestures, responded faster during the imitation and showed a higher baseline heart rate during the experiment. Newborn girls, with their faster and more accurate imitative abilities, may create a more responsive and interactive social environment, which in turn may lead to differences in socio-emotional and cognitive development between girls and boys.
Descriptors: Metabolism, Imitation, Neonates, Social Environment, Gender Differences, Cognitive Development, Social Development, Emotional Development, Interpersonal Communication, Psychomotor Skills, Foreign Countries
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Hungary
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A