Problem 3
What innate behaviour relating to the bond between parent and child
do humans display?
How does the bond between parent and child develop?
Do human children have innate reflexes? What are they and why do they
exist?
Neonatal Reflexes
Reflex: an involuntary response to an external stimulus
Newborns display reflexes from the moment they are born – some remain
w us throughout life, others disappear within the first yr & others develop
into voluntary responses/behaviors
Some reflexes have obvious significance – eye blinking to shield eyes
from too intense light
Other reflexes have less obvious significance:
- One theory is that these less obvious reflexes had evolutionary
importance for the baby’s survival in the past
- Another theory considers these as building blocks for the future
behaviors needed for the baby/toddler to interact w their environment
As they grow up, toddlers are expected to perform more
complex behaviors – w/o these building blocks (reflexes) it
would be difficult for them to start doing these complex
behaviors out of thin air
The newborn’s reflexes are considered to be the foundation on
which toddlers further develop their behaviors from
Abnormalities in the baby’s reflexes are checked in the first days/weeks
after birth to determine possible physical or neuropsychological damage
that would only show up later in life
- Abnormalities can be either no reflex, too little reflex, too much reflex
or the reflex doesn’t go away quickly enough
Using Reflexes to Evaluate Baby’s Health & Capabilities
There’s a lot of different assessments used to test developmental/cognitive
or other possible health problems in babies
Most famous one is the Brazelton Neonatal Assessment Scale – which is
very useful as it assesses a lot of different capabilities of the infant
- Assesses: sensory & perceptual abilities (orientation to sights &
sounds)
- Early learning abilities (familiarity or habituation to sensory stimuli)
- Motor abilities (muscle tone)
- Infant states & the ability to control them (including soothability)
, - Brain’s ability to control involuntary responses (startle reflex)
The Brazelton scale is also a good determinant for the future development
of the child & its capabilities – an infant that scores high on the scale is
likely to score high in future motor, cognitive & social assessments
Brazelton scale is also used as an intervention technique
- A good way for the parents to either learn about infant’s capabilities
by watching a nurse administer the test or for them to learn to do it
themselves at home & continue testing child’s abilities
Testing – Permanent Reflexes
Reflex Method Response Significance Developmental
Course
Biceps Reflex Tap on tendon of Baby has short Absent in depressed Brisker (faster) in
bicep muscle babies & those w first few days
contraction congenital muscular
diseases
Eye Blink Shine bright light Blinking or Protects baby from v Doesn’t really
in baby’s eye closing eyes intense visual stimuli change
Patellar Tap on tendon Extending or Weak/absent in More pronounced
Tendon Reflex bellow kneecap kicking depressed babies or in first 2 days,
(knee-jerk) (patellar) those w congenital than later in life
muscular disease
Exaggerated in
hyper-excited babies
Withdrawal Prick sole of Pulls back foot Absent in babies w More present in
Reflex baby’s foot w a & puts leg up, damage to their first 10 days
pin and bends knee sciatica nerve,
& hip largest nerve in the
body
What innate behaviour relating to the bond between parent and child
do humans display?
How does the bond between parent and child develop?
Do human children have innate reflexes? What are they and why do they
exist?
Neonatal Reflexes
Reflex: an involuntary response to an external stimulus
Newborns display reflexes from the moment they are born – some remain
w us throughout life, others disappear within the first yr & others develop
into voluntary responses/behaviors
Some reflexes have obvious significance – eye blinking to shield eyes
from too intense light
Other reflexes have less obvious significance:
- One theory is that these less obvious reflexes had evolutionary
importance for the baby’s survival in the past
- Another theory considers these as building blocks for the future
behaviors needed for the baby/toddler to interact w their environment
As they grow up, toddlers are expected to perform more
complex behaviors – w/o these building blocks (reflexes) it
would be difficult for them to start doing these complex
behaviors out of thin air
The newborn’s reflexes are considered to be the foundation on
which toddlers further develop their behaviors from
Abnormalities in the baby’s reflexes are checked in the first days/weeks
after birth to determine possible physical or neuropsychological damage
that would only show up later in life
- Abnormalities can be either no reflex, too little reflex, too much reflex
or the reflex doesn’t go away quickly enough
Using Reflexes to Evaluate Baby’s Health & Capabilities
There’s a lot of different assessments used to test developmental/cognitive
or other possible health problems in babies
Most famous one is the Brazelton Neonatal Assessment Scale – which is
very useful as it assesses a lot of different capabilities of the infant
- Assesses: sensory & perceptual abilities (orientation to sights &
sounds)
- Early learning abilities (familiarity or habituation to sensory stimuli)
- Motor abilities (muscle tone)
- Infant states & the ability to control them (including soothability)
, - Brain’s ability to control involuntary responses (startle reflex)
The Brazelton scale is also a good determinant for the future development
of the child & its capabilities – an infant that scores high on the scale is
likely to score high in future motor, cognitive & social assessments
Brazelton scale is also used as an intervention technique
- A good way for the parents to either learn about infant’s capabilities
by watching a nurse administer the test or for them to learn to do it
themselves at home & continue testing child’s abilities
Testing – Permanent Reflexes
Reflex Method Response Significance Developmental
Course
Biceps Reflex Tap on tendon of Baby has short Absent in depressed Brisker (faster) in
bicep muscle babies & those w first few days
contraction congenital muscular
diseases
Eye Blink Shine bright light Blinking or Protects baby from v Doesn’t really
in baby’s eye closing eyes intense visual stimuli change
Patellar Tap on tendon Extending or Weak/absent in More pronounced
Tendon Reflex bellow kneecap kicking depressed babies or in first 2 days,
(knee-jerk) (patellar) those w congenital than later in life
muscular disease
Exaggerated in
hyper-excited babies
Withdrawal Prick sole of Pulls back foot Absent in babies w More present in
Reflex baby’s foot w a & puts leg up, damage to their first 10 days
pin and bends knee sciatica nerve,
& hip largest nerve in the
body
