Why do babies need social interaction?

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In summary, Frederick II put several babies into a cell with no social interaction, to see if they would die. They all did, with no apparent reason. He was trying to determine what language was "natural".
  • #1
silenzer
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An experiment performed by a German king in the 13th century made me think. He put several babies into a cell with no social interaction but to feed them. They all died with no apparent reason.

My question is, why was that? How can the body simply shut down if no social interaction is attained?
 
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  • #2
silenzer said:
An experiment performed by a German king in the 13th century made me think. He put several babies into a cell with no social interaction but to feed them. They all died with no apparent reason.

My question is, why was that? How can the body simply shut down if no social interaction is attained?

Well, for starters, in the 13th century, "no apparent reason" covers virtually everything. There's no way of knowing the actual cause of death. Perhaps it was electrolyte imbalance. Who knows?

We have no idea of the parameters of the experiment. There's no way we can know how well they were cared for. Was hygiene maintained? Did the babies die from weight loss/malnourishment? Unless their weight was measured, how would they know? (This is the most likely cause of death, absent any data. Understimulated babies will lose interest in feeding, or fail to learn how to feed themselves adequately. Any study investigating some sort of 'failure to thrive' cause would have to first rule out simple undernourishment. )

There's going to be a slew of responses to this thread about 'under stimulation' and other such ideas, but what we need first are facts. Is there ny modern scientific data on this? If so, what were the parameters of the study and what was the outcome? Without them, forthcoming ideas are simply speculation.
 
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  • #3
silenzer said:
An experiment performed by a German king in the 13th century made me think. He put several babies into a cell with no social interaction but to feed them. They all died with no apparent reason.

My question is, why was that? How can the body simply shut down if no social interaction is attained?
You need to post your sources.

I happen to be familiar with this and other similar experiments, they were to determine what language was "natural".

The one you're referring to is this
In the Langauge deprivation experiment young infants were raised without human interaction in an attempt to determine if there was a natural language that they might demonstrate once their voices matured. It is claimed he was seeking to discover what language would have been imparted unto Adam and Eve by God. In his Chronicles Salimbene wrote that Frederick bade "foster-mothers and nurses to suckle and bathe and wash the children, but in no ways to prattle or speak with them; for he would have learned whether they would speak the Hebrew language (which had been the first), or Greek, or Latin, or Arabic, or perchance the tongue of their parents of whom they had been born. But he laboured in vain, for the children could not live without clappings of the hands, and gestures, and gladness of countenance, and blandishments."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_II,_Holy_Roman_Emperor

More experiemnts http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language_deprivation_experiments
 
  • #4
OOPS, EDIT, Evo beat me to it!

This is a well-known story told about Frederick II of Hohenstaufen (1194-1250).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_II,_Holy_Roman_Emperor
He was called Stupor Mundi ("Wonder of the World"), and refused to accept things without reason. He employed Jews to translate scientific works from Greek and Arabic. He wrote an excellent book on falconry, and he forbade trials by ordeal. A very modern man, in many respects.
Perhaps one of his lasting achievements as a lawmaker is the ban on doctors being their own pharmacists.

He also had pretty rabid enemies, like the monk Salimbene.

He is the source for the story about the babies, here it is, from Medieval Sourcebook:

"[Salimbene] goes on to enumerate several specimens of the Emperor's "curiosities" or "excesses," though for sheer weariness he will not tell them all. Frederick cut off a notary's thumb who had spelt his name Fredericus instead of Fridericus. Like Psammetichus in Herodotus, he made linguistic experiments on the vile bodies of hapless infants, "bidding foster-mothers and nurses to suckle and bathe and wash the chidren, but in no wise to prattle or speak with them; for he would have learned whether they would speak the Hebrew language (which had been the first), or Greek, or Latin, or Arabic, or perchance the tongue of their parents of whom they had been born. But he laboured in vain, for the children could not live without clappings of the hands, and gestures, and gladness of countenance, and blandishments. "
"

Salimbene ALSO tells us about Fredrick II:

" "he enclosed a living man in a cask that he might die there, wishing thereby to show that the soul perished utterly, as if he might say the word of Isaiah 'Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die.' For he was an Epicurean; wherefore, partly of himself and partly through his wise men, he sought out all that he could find in Holy Scripture which might make for the proof that there was no other life after death, as for instance 'Thou shalt destroy them, and not build them up': and again 'Their sepulchres shall be their houses for ever.'

Sixthly, he fed two men most excellently at dinner, one of whom he sent forthwith to sleep, and the other to hunt; and that same evening he caused them to be disembowelled in his presence, wishing to know which had digested the better: and it was judged by the physicians in favour of him who had slept. '
"Personally, I think most of these stories seem to be attempts at character assasssination, rather than having anything historically substantial to tell us about Frederick II
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/salimbene1.html
 
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  • #5
silenzer said:
An experiment performed by a German king in the 13th century made me think. He put several babies into a cell with no social interaction but to feed them. They all died with no apparent reason.

They won't die :P However, psychologically stable and healthy development of a child, and most importantly language, depends of social interaction.

However, I don't know details about how he allegedly isolated the babies. Note that if you close N babies together in cell, that is not social isolation. It would be very possible that within that single generation a new language would be developed by those children sequestrated there together.
 
  • #6
DanP said:
Note that if you close N babies together in cell [isolated from all other society,] It would be very possible that within that single generation a new language would be developed by those children sequestrated there together.

The holy grail for proof that language is innate rather than a cultural development. Now, how do we get ethics clearance?
 
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  • #8
cesiumfrog said:
The holy grail for proof that language is innate rather than a cultural development. Now, how do we get ethics clearance?

IMO all ppl who look at the mind as a blank slate, on which culture writes "whatever", are making a big mistake.

About ethics clearance, what do you mean with that ?
 
  • #9
Actually, there is evidence that complete lack of social interaction can cause huge physical developmental deficiencies. I'm thinking of case study in Bruce Perry's book, The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog, chapter 4, specifically. The girl had all of her immediate biological needs met - food, water, shelter - but was not receiving much social interaction or physical contact. As a result, she weighed in at 26 pounds at 4 years old. I'm not sure of the exact connection, but it has to do with the body not releasing growth hormones. It's pretty common in cases of abuse or neglect.
 
  • #10
Kusma said:
Actually, there is evidence that complete lack of social interaction can cause huge physical developmental deficiencies. I'm thinking of case study in Bruce Perry's book, The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog, chapter 4, specifically. The girl had all of her immediate biological needs met - food, water, shelter - but was not receiving much social interaction or physical contact. As a result, she weighed in at 26 pounds at 4 years old. I'm not sure of the exact connection, but it has to do with the body not releasing growth hormones. It's pretty common in cases of abuse or neglect.

You can't infer that. The bottom line is, you have no idea how the nutritional requirements of the victims of such an abuse are met during detention. And no, you can't trust a pop sci book on this. The book may claim her nutritional needs where met. But we don't know. Does the book provides us with 4 years of nutritional intake logs ? That's what you need to see first and foremost before any conclusion whatsoever can be drawn
 
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  • #11
I think its kind of pointless to study whether babies need social interaction.Babies learn a lot including walking, talking, emotions from their peers, which is social interaction. children are limited in their development - cognitive , intelligence, verbal etc if they do not go through the normal development.

But a better way to study these are in children who were born deaf or blind, which would severely limit their interaction including learning by imitation.
 
  • #12
DanP said:
Note that if you close N babies together in cell, that is not social isolation. It would be very possible that within that single generation a new language would be developed by those children sequestrated there together.

Interesting, the only feedback they would receive would be from each other.

We can assume they would learn basic interaction and behavior - a poke or a pinch deserves a reciprocal kick, etc. But how would they communicate need? It would require them to create a sign language or a pattern of utterances - wouldn't it?

There would be a need for a group dynamic.
 
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  • #14
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What is social interaction and why is it important for babies?

Social interaction refers to the process of engaging with others, including verbal and nonverbal communication, sharing experiences, and developing relationships. It is important for babies because it helps them learn how to communicate, develop social skills, and form relationships with others.

How does social interaction affect a baby's development?

Social interaction plays a crucial role in a baby's overall development. It helps with brain development, language skills, emotional regulation, and social skills. Babies who have positive social interactions tend to have better overall development and are more likely to succeed in school and relationships later in life.

What happens if a baby does not receive enough social interaction?

If a baby does not receive enough social interaction, it can negatively impact their development. They may have difficulties with language and communication, social skills, and emotional regulation. They may also struggle with forming relationships and may have a higher risk of developing mental health issues later in life.

What are some ways to promote social interaction for babies?

There are many ways to promote social interaction for babies, including talking and singing to them, playing games such as peek-a-boo, and providing opportunities for them to interact with other babies and children. It is also important for caregivers to model positive social interactions and provide a nurturing and loving environment for the baby.

At what age do babies start to understand social interactions?

Babies begin to understand social interactions from a very young age, even as newborns. They respond to facial expressions and tone of voice, and by 2-3 months, they begin to smile at familiar faces and coo in response to interactions. As they grow and develop, they continue to learn and understand more complex social interactions.

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