An exciting new study is being published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour that demonstrates that infants are able to recognize and react to lullabies even if they are unfamiliar and in another language.
The authors studied 144 infants from the Boston area and played them 16 different songs. 8 of the songs were infant-directed lullabies (used to calm or soothe an infant/child), while the other 8 songs were not lullabies (see chart below).
The scientists measured the child’s heart rate, pupil size, and electrodermal activity (an indicator of arousal).
They found that infants relax more when hearing a lullaby, regardless of language. Their heart rates slowed, pupil dilation decreased, and electrodermal activity was reduced.
It’s fascinating that children under the age of 1 are able to recognize the difference between an unfamiliar lullaby and other non infant-directed songs. Although this is explainable by natural selection. There are innate links between the forms and functions of vocal signals and this explains why hostile signals, such as a roaring lions and growling wolves are recognized as hostile by humans. This also holds true for infant-directed speech and music. Baby talk is immediately identifiable, and is remarkably consistent across cultures and languages.
Infant directed speech and song is a signal to the child of parental attention. Since parental attention is essential to a helpless infant, they are likely to be more interested in it.
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