Research has established the calming effect on maternal scent on newborn infants; however, little research has been done to investigate these olfactory responses outside this sensitive period...Show moreResearch has established the calming effect on maternal scent on newborn infants; however, little research has been done to investigate these olfactory responses outside this sensitive period following birth. Additionally, no research has investigated how scent impacts the cry and sleep behavior within the day care setting, an environment of increasing relevance for child development. In this vein, this study examined the effects of maternal scent on the cry and sleep behavior of infants within the Dutch and Chilean day care settings. During the morning nap time, the cry and sleep behavior of 26 infants between the ages 4-9 month was observed via video recording under three different conditions: Own mother scent, Other mother scent, and Neutral scent. Results indicate that infants exposed to Other mother scent cry less than those exposed to both own mother and neutral scent. Additionally, no effects were found for the amount of hours that the infants spent in day care per week. However, an exploratory analysis between the Dutch and Chilean infants revealed differences in cry behavior. Namely, Chilean infants cried less in both own mother and other mother conditions than the Dutch infants. These findings provide preliminary evidence for the continued calming effect of maternal odor, but suggest that as infants develop, they are no longer calmed by the scent of their own mother. Further investigation of such effects could prove fruitful in the development of effective sleep aids within the day care setting.Show less
