ABSTRACT

Infant crying is a strong emotional stimulus that elicits caregiving responses in adults. Here we examine the role of empathy (measured with the Polish version of Interpersonal Reactivity Index) and salivary oxytocin in modulating sensitive responsiveness to a crying infant simulator in two groups of heterosexual couples: 111 expecting or 110 not expecting a baby. Sensitive responsiveness was observed during a standardized procedure using the Ainsworth Sensitivity Scale while participants took care of the infant simulator, both individually and as a couple. Other-oriented empathy predicted elevated levels of individual but not couple sensitive responsiveness. More OT reactivity to crying predicted less responsiveness in non-expecting couples, which might be explained by their stronger focus on task performance. This study uniquely combined hormonal, observational and self-report measures in couples, and showed that personality and hormonal correlates of sensitive responsiveness might be studied before the child’s birth with the use of infant simulators.

摘要

婴儿哭泣是一种强烈的情绪刺激，会引起成人的照顾反应。在这里，我们研究了同理心（用波兰语版本的人际反应指数测量）和唾液催产素在调节两组异性恋夫妇对哭闹婴儿模拟器的敏感反应中的作用：111 人期待婴儿或 110 人不期待婴儿。在使用 Ainsworth 敏感度量表的标准化程序期间观察到敏感反应，同时参与者单独和作为一对夫妇照顾婴儿模拟器。以他人为导向的同理心预示着个体水平的提高，而不是敏感的反应能力。OT 对哭泣的更多反应预示着未期待的夫妻的反应更少，这可能是因为他们更关注任务表现。