Rhythm and interpersonal synchrony in early social development.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review synthesizing prior developmental studies without systematic search or meta-analysis.
PubMed 25773616 · doi:10.1111/nyas.12649
What was done
The authors conducted a narrative review synthesizing literature on rhythm, auditory meter perception, and interpersonal movement synchrony in adults and infants, focusing on studies comparing infants bounced synchronously versus asynchronously to music with an adult.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical figures or statistical metrics. It describes that 14-month-old infants bounced in synchrony with an adult subsequently displayed more altruistic behavior (handing back dropped objects) toward that partner compared to infants bounced asynchronously. This increased helpfulness generalized to a friend of the partner but was not directed toward a neutral stranger.
Why it matters
This review outlines how shared rhythmic movement acts as an early mechanism for social bonding and directed prosocial behavior in early development, even before infants develop mature independent motor entrainment.
Limits
The abstract provides no sample sizes, effect estimates, or statistical data. As a narrative review rather than a systematic review, it lacks formal study selection criteria, risk of bias assessment, and quantitative synthesis. The summarized behaviors rely on specific laboratory paradigms that may not fully reflect naturalistic social interactions.
Cited by
- partial Nine-month-old infants synchronize to the sounds and rhythms of their culture's music and synchronize physiologically with people in their presence.