Featured Publications
For 5-Month-Old Infants, Melodies Are Social
Mehr S, Song L, Spelke E. For 5-Month-Old Infants, Melodies Are Social. Psychological Science 2016, 27: 486-501. PMID: 26917211, DOI: 10.1177/0956797615626691.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSelective attentionFamiliar melodiesRemarkable memoryNew personUnfamiliar melodiesUnfamiliar adultsFamiliar songsNovel individualsUnfamiliar songsSocial partnersDifferent melodiesMelodyNovel songsOlder infantsSong exposureSocial meaningPersonsToysMemorySongsInfantsInteractive videoParentsSingingAdults
2021
Across demographics and recent history, most parents sing to their infants and toddlers daily
Yan R, Jessani G, Spelke E, de Villiers P, de Villiers J, Mehr S. Across demographics and recent history, most parents sing to their infants and toddlers daily. Philosophical Transactions Of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences 2021, 376: 20210089. PMID: 34719251, PMCID: PMC8558774, DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0089.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsInfant-directed singingReliable individual differencesMost parentsFrequency of singingIndividual differencesPsychological functionsVoice modulationMusicSingingChild's ageSalient componentsEveryday natureSurvey of parentsParentsTechnological environmentParents' incomeRecent historyTheme issueHuman societyYoung familiesToddlersSocial impactInfantsDaily basisLatter effect
2017
Shared musical knowledge in 11‐month‐old infants
Mehr S, Spelke E. Shared musical knowledge in 11‐month‐old infants. Developmental Science 2017, 21 PMID: 28229502, DOI: 10.1111/desc.12542.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMusical toysVisual attentionSocial informationTypes of musicInfant visual attentionFive-month-old infantsSocial responsesMusical knowledgePlay songsFamiliar songsParental singingInfant listenersMusicSong exposureSongsPsychological functionsNovel peopleInfants' responsesSocial meaningContemporary environmentSocial preferencesSocial playMelodySingersSinging