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Social practices and cultural beliefs of modern life are preventing healthy brain and emotional development in children, according to an interdisciplinary body of research presented recently at a symposium at the University of Notre Dame.
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"Breast-feeding infants, responsiveness to crying, almost constant touch and having multiple adult caregivers are some of the nurturing ancestral parenting practices that are shown to positively impact the developing brain, which not only shapes personality, but also helps physical health and moral development," says Narvaez.Studies show that responding to a baby's needs (not letting a baby "cry it out") has been shown to influence the development of conscience; positive touch affects stress reactivity, impulse control and empathy; free play in nature influences social capacities and aggression; and a set of supportive caregivers (beyond the mother alone) predicts IQ and ego resilience as well as empathy.
The United States has been on a downward trajectory on all of these care characteristics, according to Narvaez. Instead of being held, infants spend much more time in carriers, car seats and strollers than they did in the past. Only about 15 percent of mothers are breast-feeding at all by 12 months, extended families are broken up and free play allowed by parents has decreased dramatically since 1970.
On the other side, there's hand-wringing about helicopter parenting.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by FlyingSock on Friday August 21 2015, @01:38PM
Nice post except for the false dichotomy in the last sentence.
Besides, I do not think that button pushing yes men without the ability to improvise make good soldiers.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 21 2015, @02:31PM
Besides, I do not think that button pushing yes men without the ability to improvise make good soldiers.
Maybe they will have the ability to improvise somewhat, but not enough critical thinking skills to intelligently challenge authority. We already see people accept mass surveillance. In the past, we saw many people buy into the Red Scare nonsense, Japanese internment counts, and countless other horrors. It's not a new problem.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 21 2015, @02:33PM
I do not think that button pushing yes men without the ability to improvise make good soldiers.
This. Exactly.
Yes men don't make it far in the military. No one likes a kiss ass, especially your peers.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 21 2015, @04:50PM
Yes men don't make it far in the military.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_B._Alexander [wikipedia.org]
Not bad for a traitor.
(Score: 2) by Gravis on Saturday August 22 2015, @04:51AM
I do not think that button pushing yes men without the ability to improvise make good soldiers.
the Normandy landings (on D-Day) was a bloodbath but the sheer number of troops overwhelmed the enemy. those are the kind of soldiers that generals want, the kind that will do exactly what you say no matter what. the ability to improvise rarely comes alone, it drags in other traits like critical analysis which can result in people questing the motives and methods of those in charge. if there is one thing military commanders dont like, it's being questioned by a soldier.