Generating and sharing the science behind child social development

What are we doing?

Already starting at birth, humans are “wired” to social information. This preference for social stimuli helps infants develop the abilities needed to successfully interact with those around them. During the first few years of life, children progressively become more skillful at navigating the social world—a process influenced by both biological maturation and socialization. Transitioning from seemingly “helpless” babies fixated on their caregivers’ faces, infants swiftly start understanding the self and other people.

These abilities, intertwined with the development of increasingly complex emotional lives, ultimately allow children to actively and successfully participate in society. At the Becoming Social Research Center, we study children’s socio-emotional development. We examine how children come to differ in the ways they interact with others and how these differences are shaped by the social environment, including parents.

How are we doing it?

We use a variety of methods including behavioral experiments, precise observations, neuro-physiological measures, tests, interviews, and questionnaires to investigate children’s developing social capacities

An integrated approach

We study child social development using insights and methods from psychology, neuroscience, developmental and affective sciences

Making science accessible to everyone

We bridge the gap between science and practice by translating scientific research into insights, stories, and tools for caregivers

Why are we doing it?

At the Becoming Social Research Center, we conduct scientific research into child social development and the role of caregivers with the ultimate goal of supporting children in fulfilling their potential.

To inform a broader audience, we transform our knowledge into science-based insights and stories about child social development. In doing so, we support parents, educators, and other caregivers in accessing up-to-date, evidence-based information on child social development and their role in fostering it.

We believe that every child deserves to thrive in a nourishing and loving environment, and our goal is to contribute to this by promoting nurturing caregiving and supportive caregiver-child relationships.