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Infants relax in response to unfamiliar foreign lullabies

Author

Listed:
  • Constance M. Bainbridge

    (Harvard University)

  • Mila Bertolo

    (Harvard University)

  • Julie Youngers

    (Harvard University
    University of British Columbia)

  • S. Atwood

    (Harvard University
    University of Washington)

  • Lidya Yurdum

    (Harvard University)

  • Jan Simson

    (Harvard University)

  • Kelsie Lopez

    (Harvard University
    Brown University)

  • Feng Xing

    (Harvard University
    Johns Hopkins University)

  • Alia Martin

    (Victoria University of Wellington)

  • Samuel A. Mehr

    (Harvard University
    Victoria University of Wellington
    Harvard University)

Abstract

Music is characterized by acoustic forms that are predictive of its behavioural functions. For example, adult listeners accurately identify unfamiliar lullabies as infant-directed on the basis of their musical features alone. This property could reflect a function of listeners’ experiences, the basic design of the human mind, or both. Here, we show that US infants (N = 144) relax in response to eight unfamiliar foreign lullabies, relative to matched non-lullaby songs from other foreign societies, as indexed by heart rate, pupillometry and electrodermal activity. They do so consistently throughout the first year of life, suggesting that the response is not a function of their musical experiences, which are limited relative to those of adults. The infants’ parents overwhelmingly chose lullabies as the songs that they would use to calm their fussy infant, despite their unfamiliarity. Together, these findings suggest that infants may be predisposed to respond to common features of lullabies found in different cultures.

Suggested Citation

  • Constance M. Bainbridge & Mila Bertolo & Julie Youngers & S. Atwood & Lidya Yurdum & Jan Simson & Kelsie Lopez & Feng Xing & Alia Martin & Samuel A. Mehr, 2021. "Infants relax in response to unfamiliar foreign lullabies," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 5(2), pages 256-264, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:5:y:2021:i:2:d:10.1038_s41562-020-00963-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41562-020-00963-z
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