Have you ever wondered why children are always fascinated with superheroes? Everything about a powerful and superhuman character calls out to them.
No wonder then they want you to buy all the toys and the merchandise, and the posters and even those cool board games!
Interestingly, this is not just a result of fascination. There is a scientific connection between superheroes and child development.
A new study has proved that babies are born with an admiration for superheroes. In fact, researchers found that children as young as six months find themselves attracted to figures who can save the world or protect the weak.
Connection Between Superheroes And Child Development: Why Babies Think Supernatural Beings As Superior
According to the study, 96 infants in the age group of 12 to 16 months were observed while they were watching animated characters competing against each other.
Among them, two of the characters had no special powers, but the other two had superpowers. While one had the power of teleportation and the other had the power of levitation.
In half the videos, the super-power characters won against normal characters. However, in the other half, they lost to them.
Results of the study show why babies love superheroes
Researchers used the principles of expectancy violation since babies around 12 months usually can't express themselves through words.
It was found that babies react to things that are unexpected from the usual.
- In the videos where the superpower characters won, babies were easily distracted because for them it was not a big deal.
- On the other hand, when the normal characters defeated the superheroes, babies were more interested in trying to understand what was going on.
It was thus proved that babies as young as six-months-old can recognise that those with superpowers and consider them superior to ordinary people.
This study has proved a vital connection between superheroes and child development. But also highlighted why some people are able to develop a cult following.
It is not just an adult phenomenon. Idolising somebody who seems to have superhero powers is an attractive feature, and we show affinity to this phenomenon from infancy.
While this study has brought out new information about a child's neurological development, you don't just have to rely on superheroes to help your little one develop language and logical reasoning skills.
Here are five easy things parents can do to stimulate the baby's brain.
5 Activities To Stimulate Your Baby's Brain
Peek-a-boo game
This game helps babies develop object permanence. It means they know an object exists even if they can’t see it. A good age to start this game with your baby is when they are about 9-months-old.
It is at this age that babies are able to practice the pincer grasp and see objects more clearly. Although, infants can also enjoy it at a younger age as well.
Spark their senses
You can use different pieces of fabrics with different textures and let your baby explore them while you supervise. See to it that the pieces are at least six inches by six inches long. When they touch the fabric you can describe it to them.
This activity will not only give them the opportunity to try out new textures, it will also pique their curiosity to learn more.
Choose the toys carefully
You should select toys that can help your babies explore and interact. Toys such as a windup jack-in-the-box help your baby learn cause-and-effect relationships.
They will also have a better understanding of the "if-then" reasoning. For instance, if your child stacks too many blocks unevenly, chances are they will fall. But after a few practice runs, they will wire in the information and stack them in a way that they do not fall.
Let your baby play with messy things
This is a great activity to boost your baby's brain. Let them play with water, sand, or even slime. They will learn about the different properties of liquids, solids, and mixtures. These sensory exposures are important for the stimulation of their brain.
Give your baby physical affection
While you are reading a book to your baby, stroke her hair or even the tummy while diapering. There are studies that prove that babies that are not touched have smaller brains than normal for their age.
On the other hand, interacting closely with your baby helps them feel secure and calm.
News source: Mentalfloss, SoraNews
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