Infants Recognize Faces Using Mother's Scent: Study
A team of researchers has shown that infants can recognize faces based on their mother’s scent. This study, conducted by experts from various institutes, aimed to understand how babies use their mother’s scent to perceive faces, and the results are both surprising and unprecedented.
Development of Face Recognition in Infants
The research found that infants’ ability to recognize faces using their mother’s scent improves between four and twelve months. As infants grow older, they increasingly rely on visual information alone to recognize faces, without the need for simultaneous sensory cues.
Expert Insights
Dr. Arnaud Leleu, Associate Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the Centre for Taste, Smell and Nutrition Sciences (CSGA) at the Université de Bourgogne, explained his interest in sensory perception. “Although perception seems simple, it is a complex brain function that develops from past experiences with various sensory stimuli,” said Dr. Leleu. He emphasized the importance of understanding how a toddler’s brain processes multisensory stimuli to grasp perception development into adulthood.
The Study's Findings
Dr. Leleu’s research focused on how the development of visual perception is influenced by the sense of smell in the infant brain. The study discovered that rapid face perception, enhanced by maternal odour, decreases as infants age and become more capable of using visual cues alone.
Importance of Early Multisensory Exposure
The study highlighted the importance of early exposure to multisensory inputs for perceptual learning in infants. Dr. Leleu stated, “Our findings, along with extensive research on multisensory perception in infants, demonstrate the significance of early exposure to multiple sensory inputs for perceptual learning.”
He further explained that repeated intersensory associations in early life are foundational for the later development of higher-level skills such as semantic memory, language, and conceptual thinking. “It is crucial to expose infants to various sensory cues to the same objects as early as possible,” Dr. Leleu added.
This study provides valuable insights into the intricate processes of sensory perception in infants and underscores the importance of a multisensory environment for healthy cognitive development.
Source: Inputs from various media Sources
