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Rhythmic organization of the sound of infant crying
Author(s) -
Zeskind Philip Sanford,
ParkerPrice Susan,
Barr Ronald G.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
developmental psychobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1098-2302
pISSN - 0012-1630
DOI - 10.1002/dev.420260603
Subject(s) - crying , rhythm , infant crying , psychology , sound (geography) , audiology , communication , sound production , developmental psychology , acoustics , medicine , social psychology , physics
The purpose of the present study was to examine the temporal morphology and rhythmic structure underlying the repeated bursts of expiratory sounds in a sustained bout of crying of twenty‐three 1‐month‐old infants. Durations of expiratory sounds and bursts were determined from a 90‐s bout of naturally occurring cries recorded in the home before feeding. Results indicated wide individual differences in temporal morphology between infants and within infant cry sounds. Binary spectrum analysis of the presence of expiratory sounds in the cry sound detected rhythms in temporal organization at a wide range of dominant frequencies. Spectral complexity (higher numbers of peaks in the power spectrum) was related to a longer time since infants were last fed and shorter expiratory sounds. Results emphasize the importance of viewing cries of young infants as dynamic signals. An ontogenetic history of the rhythms of infant cry sounds may contribute to understanding organismic and environmental experiences which contribute to development. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.