1. This mechanism can be hypothesized to be pertinent in humans as well. Exposure of an infant to specific types of maternal behavior can potentially influence cognitive and social outcomes for that child. For example, in the lecture slides there are examples of studies comparing children that are institutionalized versus those with individual care and attention from a foster mother. Those with less personal care had worse cognitive outcomes. I think an analogous behavior to maternal licking and grooming is maternal feeding or skin-to skin time after birth. This can be breast feeding or bottle feeding. The interaction that takes place between infant and mother during feeding I can imagine is very important and is a critical time to influence certain outcomes in that child’s life.
2. I find it difficult to think of a study that would assess the influence of a specific behavior at a specific point in time on long term outcomes. There are so many other influences a person is exposed to (both genetic and environmental), that it would be difficult to find a causal association between a particular behavior and long term health outcomes.
3. Gruenwald describes the effects of socioeconomic adversity across the lifespan on future functioning and health in humans. I believe that these findings are consistent with Weaver et al. The sensitive time periods that are described by Weaver et al are related to maternal behaviors that can impact outcome in that child. Socioeconomic adversity can impact maternal behaviors, which then impact their offspring. Thus, maternal behaviors during these sensitive time periods are one component of several factors that one can be exposed to across the lifespan affecting their functioning and health in the future.
4. The article by Hertzman and Boyce speaks about early sensory stimulation beginning in the prenatal time period that activates specific genes in different parts of the brain to differentiate neuron function. This in turn leads to further brain development involved in coping, movement, language, cognition etc… These early environments are primarily triggered by caregivers (i.e. the mother carrying the child or the primary caretakers of an infant). Not having exposure to this early stimulation during gestation or early in infancy can lead to developmental delays and can impact activation of specific genes that contribute to brain development. Socioeconomic status can play a role in the geneXenvironment influences early in life. For example, a mother that is living in poverty may be under extreme stress an unable to provide the “ideal environment” for their child. This can then impact brain development and future functioning and health.