A baby’s preference to stare at an object, instead of a person’s face, may predict a lack of guilt and empathy as well as difficulties understanding emotions during toddlerhood.
It is known that the deepest, most primitive parts of our minds process faces. It is also known that typically developing babies become sensitive to another person’s face and eyes almost immediately after birth.
In a new study, scientists find a baby’s preference to stare at an object, instead of a person’s face, may predict a lack of guilt and empathy as well as difficulties understanding emotions during toddlerhood.
While a mother’s warmth and attention might positively influence her child’s later behavior, this may be true only of girl babies and not boys.
By Susan Scutti
