To be socially savvy, you have to learn the hierarchy. This skill is so crucial that even babies possess it, according to a study published January 28 in Science. Infants only 10 months old know that bigger beings usually get their way.
Developmental psychologist Lotte Thomsen of the University of Copenhagen and her collaborators showed infants cartoon movies in which two different-size blocks, each having an eye and a mouth, bounced toward each other starting from opposite sides of a platform. When they met in the middle, the blocks collided, then backed up several times, as if competing for the right to move forward. Then one block bowed down and scooted out of the way of the other one, which continued along its path.
Ten-month-old infants looked longer at scenes in which the bigger object surrendered, indicating that they were surprised at this outcome (the amount of time infants spend studying a scene is a well-tested experimental metric for piqued interest). The finding suggests that babies understand conflicting goals and social dominance, even though they cannot talk or actively fight. Whether because of some innate sense that size matters or because of experiences such as an older sibling taking their toys, babies know that bigger people often get what they want.
This article was originally published with the title Might Makes Right.
See what we're tweeting about
3 Comments
Add CommentIt may be because the babies are confused at the smaller block knocking the larger block out the way due to the laws of inertia.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe baby is perhaps calculating the force presented due to the speed and estimated weight of the two blocks and be merely surprised that the laws of motion are being contradicted.
Actually, babies only THINK they know that adults, being larger, are at the top of the pecking order. My researches as the father of two have shown me that they discover their error at the age of 12 or 13. Lest some childless reader think of pointing out that a population of two is statistically insignificant, I should add that other researchers of my circle have observed the same phenomenon.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisTwo comments:
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this1. Mixed martial arts fans had their curiosity piqued when a diminutive Royce Gracie regularly defeated fighters bigger and stronger than he. And we all knew or should have known that a quality other than size, namely "skill," has a major bearing on the outcome of a fight.
2. At the age of twelve or thirteen children, especially boys, realize that they are or will soon be bigger and stronger than Mom and Dad and, absent strong religious taboos, act accordingly. When I was eleven and my mother (may she live and be well) tried to punish me by withholding breakfast, we ended up struggling over the cereal box and I won. It was a very traumatic experience for both of us.