Abstract

The purpose of this study, is to compare the extent and types of physical proximity and contact between mothers and infants across different countries during the early child stage of life, and to discuss how those activities are modulated by contrasting cultural styles. We have compared the way in which mothers are physical engaged with their children in different societies, to investigate similarities and differences in the physical and proximal maternal behaviors, selecting 5 different countries belonging to the Western (Italy and USA), Eastern (Korea and Japan) and Developing countries (Kenya). Moreover, the research analyzed how those early maternal activities are related to the child’s subsequent development, examining how experiences during early life could affect his future growth. The results are discussed in light of the culture-universal as well as culture-specific aspects of parenting. Three studies have been developed: the first examines and compares the ways in which mothers physically engage their very young infants in Italy and the USA, and asks whether they differ in the proximal and physical response to infant vocalizations; the second proposes a wider analysis of the maternal physical engagement across different countries, and investigates similarities and differences in the physical and proximal maternal behaviors in countries belonging to the Western (Italy and USA), Eastern (Korea and Japan) and Developing countries (Kenya); the third evaluates the influence of maternal physical engagement on the development of infant play, adaptive behavior, and child emotion availability, in the Italian sample. Finally, in the Appendix, is reported a study on a particular form of attachment behavior presented in mammalian (the Transport Response (TR)), in mice genetically modified who show deficits in attachment behavior. The study corroborates the importance of investigating the genetic basis of attachment behavior in order to better understand the affiliative relationship in higher mammals.