Developmental Cascades Emergent from Infant Crying: Implications for Language Acquisition

Abstract

Crying is deeply embedded in human development and is among the most prominent activities in infancy during waking hours. Infant crying has long been studied as a signal to caregivers. However, its impact on the parent-child relationship, and research undertaken on its role in the infant's development has been relatively limited. However, recent acoustic and phonetic studies suggest that developmental changes and individual differences appear in the acoustic structures of crying within the first few months after birth. Furthermore, it is increasingly evident that the development of crying may play a long-term and extensive role, including in language acquisition and social development. In this paper, through a novel redefinition of infant crying as the starting point of certain developmental cascades, we integrate empirical findings accumulated across multiple academic fields to assess the processes through which crying alters the infant's internal and external environment and the long-term impacts these changes have on their development. The perspective of the developmental cascade may provide important insights into the processes whereby infant crying contributes to language acquisition and the negative developmental effects brought about by atypical crying.

【Research Impact】

This paper re-examines the role that infant crying plays in relation with developmental cascades, providing an integrated explanation for the complex developmental processes that are initiated by spontaneous crying and advancing the understanding of how crying contributes to language acquisition. A deepening understanding of how atypical crying alters the developmental cascade may provide important insights for preventive intervention and social support for children with neurodevelopmental disorders and their caregivers.