Infants are “hard-wired” to be interested in their caregivers and others from the moment of birth. This inevitably leads to social interactions with those interesting people, and ultimately facilitates attachment to them. Given their natural social tendencies, from the first few weeks of life infants connect socially and emotionally with their caregivers in give-and-take exchanges, mimicking verbal interactions of older individuals. These exchanges reflect a caregiver-infant synchrony that is important for the child’s healthy development.
Sadly, not all infants are exposed to environments that provide interesting social interactions with others. Worldwide, many orphanages and other institutions that provide care for infants do not have enough staff to provide adequate nurturance and social interaction. As a result, infants are left in their cribs unattended, other than to be fed or have their diaper changed.
In what ways do you think this problem affects the psychosocial development of children, and what can be done to minimize those effects?