Neural and behavioral coordination in infant-caregiver communication across the socioeconomic spectrum

项目摘要 大部分婴儿的学习都是通过与他人的社会互动进行的，而这些互动的质量在早期 社会交往对语言和认知的发展是重要的。特别是， 不同社会经济地位（SES）的输入质量存在差异，通常会使婴儿从较低- SES家庭面临学习挑战的风险1 -4。然而，目前关于输入如何影响学习的研究 已经有一个占主导地位的重点是婴儿的语言输入，削弱了理解的全部复杂性， 幼儿的日常交际环境。此外，很少有研究研究神经机制， 输入质量通过它影响学习。拟议的研究将解决这两个限制， 探索输入质量和神经活动之间的关系，在自然的幼儿互动。 具体目标1是确定SES范围内的护理人员如何使用一套相互关联的 与18个月大的婴儿交流时发出的信号。虽然大量证据表明， SES，语言输入质量和语言成果，我们建议扩大目前的理解， 通过检查沟通的五个方面：语言，动作，手势，情感和触摸，输入质量。 我们将这些信号统称为“婴儿定向沟通”（IDC）。具体目标2探讨了 IDC的质量会影响护理人员与患者之间自然、动态互动过程中的脑-脑耦合， 婴儿。为此，我们将使用双脑功能近红外光谱（fNIRS），这是一种 普林斯顿婴儿实验室最近开发的。最后，具体目标3询问了18岁时IDC和神经耦合是如何 月独立和共同涉及婴儿的集中注意力，一个标准化的衡量认知 技能和词汇量的增长，从而提供链接到既定的认知和语言的措施， 发展这些目标提供了第一次调查的神经耦合作为一种机制，SES- 婴儿环境质量的相关变化会影响以后的学习。因此，建议 研究既推进了当前的社会学习理论，也增强了我们在一个特定的社会环境中进行干预的能力。 有意义和生态有效的方式。 通过这些目标，申请人将获得双脑神经科学方法的培训，拓宽她的视野， 语言发展和交流的理论知识，获得高级统计培训， 与不同的人群合作，包括社会经济地位较低的家庭。她的担保人，凯西卢-威廉姆斯博士， 他在所有这些领域拥有丰富的经验，并以出色的指导能力而闻名。共同发起人尤里博士 哈森是脑-脑耦合研究的先驱。普林斯顿大学的培训环境 提供进行拟议研究所需的所有资源，以及广泛的机会， 智力和专业发展。总之，这项培训将为申请人的职业生涯做好准备， 研究型大学的终身教授

Project Summary Much of infants’ learning occurs through social interactions with others, and the quality of these early social interactions is consequential for linguistic and cognitive development. In particular, there is substantial variation in input quality across the spectrum of socioeconomic status (SES), often putting infants from lower- SES families at risk for learning challenges1-4. However, current investigations into how input impacts learning have had a dominant focus on infants’ language input, undercutting understanding of the full complexity of infants’ everyday communicative environments. Further, minimal research has studied the neural mechanisms through which input quality influences learning. The proposed research will address both of these limitations, exploring relations between input quality and neural activity during natural caregiver-infant interactions. Specific Aim 1 is to determine how caregivers across the SES spectrum use a suite of interconnected signals when communicating with their 18-month-old infants. While substantial evidence links variability in SES, language input quality, and language outcomes, we propose to broaden the current understanding of input quality by examining five dimensions of communication: language, action, gesture, emotion, and touch. Together, we refer to these signals as “infant-directed communication” (IDC). Specific Aim 2 examines how the quality of IDC influences brain-to-brain coupling during natural, dynamic interactions between caregivers and infants. To do so, we will use dual-brain functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), a methodology that was recently developed in the Princeton Baby Lab. Finally, Specific Aim 3 asks how IDC and neural coupling at 18 months independently and jointly relate to infants’ focused attention, a standardized measure of cognitive skills, and vocabulary growth, thereby providing links to established measures of cognitive and linguistic development. These aims provide the first investigation of neural coupling as a mechanism by which SES- related variability in the quality of infants’ environment influences later learning. In this way, the proposed research both advances current theories of social learning and enhances our ability to inform interventions in a meaningful and ecologically valid way. Through these aims, the applicant will acquire training in dual-brain neuroscience methods, broaden her theoretical knowledge of language development and communication, acquire advanced statistical training, and work with diverse populations including lower-SES families. Her sponsor, Dr. Casey Lew-Williams, has extensive experience in all of these areas and is known for his outstanding mentorship. The co-sponsor, Dr. Uri Hasson, has pioneered the study of brain-to-brain coupling. The training environment at Princeton University provides all resources needed for conducting the proposed research, as well as broad opportunities for intellectual and professional development. Together, this training will prepare the applicant well for a career as a tenure-track professor at a research university.