The Baby Blog
A place to highlight new published findings, shine a spotlight on the researchers in our field, and share new tools of the trade that might help make life easier for ICIS Membership.
The Notorious LRG – Lila Gleitman passes away
On August 8, our field lost a giant, Lila Ruth Gleitman. Lila’s work altered our understanding of the human mind through her elegant theoretical and empirical investigations of early language development. Redefining and broadening the field, she asked not only what...
Maternal mental health and early childhood temperament during the COVID-19 pandemic
by Abigail Fiske, Gaia Scerif, & Karla Holmboe There is no question that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world. It is hard to ignore the visible impact – the rising and falling of infection rates, the “stay at home” restrictions, and the incredible...
Masks, Babies, and Emotion Learning
by Ashley Ruba COVID-19 completely changed our social lives. Between physical distancing, cancelled family gatherings, and continual mask-wearing, we have seen far less of one another. While these social changes have been undeniably difficult for everyone, caregivers...
Beyond a paycheck: Fathers’ other contributions to their children’s development
by Natasha Cabrera Being a father “is the best thing [that] could ever happen in my life, I love my daughter, I love my wife so much, I love my family,” said a dad who participated in an intervention study of low-income fathers and their children. He was candid about...
Face-mask use and language development: Should I be worried?
by Suzanne Curtin, Janet Werker, & Henny Yeung This blog post is an adaptation of an op-ed that appeared in the Globe and Mail on Feb. 23rd, 2021. Facemasks are an essential public health tool against the spread of COVID-19(1), but now that vaccine distribution in...
Representing babies in science: How we describe our samples is important
by Lisa Oakes I started my career as an Assistant Professor in 1991. That year Mark Wahlberg formed Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, the world wide web was launched to the public, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were all the rage. I was living in Iowa City, a lovely...
When will COVID-19 vaccines be available for infants and children?
by Nina Fefferman & Vanessa LoBue Now that the COVID-19 global pandemic is into its second year, we are finally seeing some relief in parts of the world with the approval of various vaccinations that prevent symptoms of the virus. In the United States, the three...
Jerome Kagan, infant studies pioneer, passes away at 92
Jerome Kagan passed away on Monday, May 10, 2021. He was 92 years old. Jerry was born in Newark, New Jersey and grew up in Rahway. He received his BA from Rutgers University before obtaining his PhD from Yale where he studied with Frank Beach. He then joined the Fels...
Developmental Science is a Team Sport: How Collaboration Solves Complex Problems
by Rachel Barr My first ever ICIS conference was in 1996 in Providence, Rhode Island. The organizers had decided to return to the site of the first Infancy meeting. In 1996, Carolyn Rovee-Collier was the president and asked infancy researchers to shift the focus of...
Pressing record can go a long way: Reflections from the ICIS President
by Catherine Tamis-LeMonda Babies: Is there anything more precious or fascinating? Whether a kitten, bear cub, dolphin calf, or human baby, we are drawn to infants’ prominent features, blundering movements, and dependency on adults for nurturing. For infancy...
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