Adults' perception of the cries of high-complications and low-complications infants

Abstract

It has been argued that human infants (with their relatively large foreheads and eyes) evoke nurturant behaviors from adults. This study empirically tests whether or not conceptional age affects these facial features and adult perceptions of the infants. Pictures (full frontal views of the face) were taken of 29 newborns: 10 born at term, 10 born 1 month early, and 9 born 2 months before term. All facial features were measured proportionally, and three composite drawings (one for each gestational age) were made. Using a 7-point Likert-style scale, college-aged subjects rated the composite drawings on the basis of overall impressions, perceived functional evaluations, and judged behavioral inclinations. Results indicated that full-term infants possessed proportionally wider eyes and rounder heads than did preterm infants. Composite drawings depicting the fullterm characteristics evoked much more favorable responses for all items than did the two composite drawings depicting preterm infants' characteristics. Moreover, the composite drawing depicting an infant born 1 month early elicited more favorable responses than did the composite drawing depicting an infant born 2 months prematurely.