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Before they’re 15 months old, babies don’t seem to recognize themselves in the mirror. These babies stared at their reflections and may have found them familiar, but they didn’t react any differently when they saw the red spots on their noses. But by 21 months, most infants tried to touch or wipe their nose. These babies knew that they were the baby in the mirror! They had reached a new level of self-awareness. (Lewis & Brooks-Gunn, 1979)
These experiments show that a certain level of self-awareness is needed before children experience emotions like embarrassment. Once children are aware of themselves as individuals, they become more sensitive to the ways people might see them. They also become more aware of how people think differently, and that other people might have feelings that are different from their own. This awareness provides a foundation for emotions like empathy and envy. (Lewis, 2000)
What can we infer from this video, and comparative human studies?
These experiments show that a certain level of self-awareness is needed before children experience emotions like embarrassment. Once children are aware of themselves as individuals, they become more sensitive to the ways people might see them. They also become more aware of how people think differently, and that other people might have feelings that are different from their own. This awareness provides a foundation for emotions like empathy and envy. (Lewis, 2000)
What can we infer from this video, and comparative human studies?
