Neonatal behavior as biologically motivated behavior

Objectives: To discuss the possibility that neonatal behavior can be understood as biologically motivated behavior. Hypothesis: Human newborns present a behavioral repertoire which corresponds to the phylogenetic evolution and adaptation of the human species to environmental circumstances. Method: T...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: João Manuel Rosado de Miranda Justo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Asociación Nacional de Psicología Evolutiva y Educativa de la Infancia Adolescencia Mayores y Discapacidad 2015-04-01
Series:INFAD
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.infad.eu/RevistaINFAD/OJS/index.php/IJODAEP/article/view/123
Description
Summary:Objectives: To discuss the possibility that neonatal behavior can be understood as biologically motivated behavior. Hypothesis: Human newborns present a behavioral repertoire which corresponds to the phylogenetic evolution and adaptation of the human species to environmental circumstances. Method: The behavioral repertoire of the human newborn is discussed at the light of the neurobehavioral evaluation of babies at the first moments of extra-uterine life, namely the NBAS (Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale) by T. Berry Brazelton. This description is articulated with several aspects of human experience: a) adequacy for survival after birth; b) sequence from prenatal behavior to postnatal behavior, c) similarity between prenatal sleep/awake states and postnatal sleep/awake states and d) postnatal behavioral competence as a result of prenatal training (the performance of prenatal behavior as an exercise towards the enhancement of postnatal behavioral performance). Conclusion: The articulation above described will be used to enlighten future research in the fields of neonatal behavior and prenatal behavior. It will also be used to deepen possibilities of psychological interventions based at presentations offered to mothers, fathers or families when assessing newborns’ behavior (Brazelton demonstrations).
ISSN:0214-9877
2603-5987