Do you first develop the abillity to read body language, or do you first learn how to speak? (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 10 months ago by 0x4E4F@sh.itjust.works to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

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As a child I mean.

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[-] IgnisAvem@reddthat.com 15 points 10 months ago

I work in early years. Yes babies have a great understanding of body language and facial expression long before they can talk to communicate.

Young children are actually far more intelligent than most people give them credit for. Just because they can’t communicate it the same language as us yet doesn’t mean they don’t know what they’re doing.

If they didn’t understand body language, how would they bond with people? And people bond back with them? Not to be insulting, but it’s like with pets. We can build bonds with them because we learnt to understand each others body language even though we don’t speak the same language

[-] NeoNachtwaechter@lemmy.world 7 points 10 months ago

it’s like with pets. We can build bonds with them because we learnt to understand each others body language even though we don’t speak the same language

Nice example :-)

I have read that cats use their meowing ONLY when they communicate with humans. Among other cats / animals, they use different languages.

[-] afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago

And dogs have that look they use on humans that says help me. Also I have seen dogs present their rear for communication to other dogs but not to humans.

[-] 0x4E4F@sh.itjust.works 5 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Yes babies have a great understanding of body language and facial expression long before they can talk to communicate.

I knew it!

My wife is a social worker and she said the opposite and we had like a big quarel over it. I was 99% sure I was right, but I since she's a social worker, she's more the authority on this matter than I am (I'm an engineer) and I thought I'd double check, just to be sure.

Now I'm gonna rub this in her face 😁.

[-] afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

It's amazing how people still deny evolution. The wild relatives of Guinea Pigs are silent only making noise when one is totally isolated from the group and needs to find it. The domesticated ones are loud making a variety of different noises for different needs and emotions.

The species evolved towards us because we are evolved to respond to "help me" noises from small cute furry things. Why? Because babies that were not responding and communicating ended up dead.

this post was submitted on 04 Jan 2024

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