What is it about?
More synchronized brain activity is typically linked to emotional benefits for infants and mothers. Our findings link greater synchrony to less positive emotion in infants if mothers are high in anxiety, suggesting that synchrony is not always beneficial.
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Why is it important?
This work is unique because it suggests that there may be limits on a phenomenon that is typically viewed as wholly positive. They offer a starting point for considering when and for whom synchrony may be most beneficial.
Perspectives
I hope that this article serves as a starting point for adding nuance to contemporary thinking about the phenomenon of synchrony and the different roles it can play in emotional outcomes for mothers and infants.
Rebecca Brooker
Texas A&M University College Station
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Greater mother–infant synchrony predicts less positive emotion in infants at high levels of maternal anxiety., Developmental Psychology, June 2026, American Psychological Association (APA),
DOI: 10.1037/dev0002203.
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