PA PA ,
CAN YOU
HEAR ME?
MOST OF US CAN’T IGNORE A BABY’S CRY.
We can choose not to respond, but those shat-
tering notes will infiltrate our noggins no
matter what. The wail (however irritating it
might be) sparks a response that ensures one
thing: survival. Data suggests that the noise
tips off parents more than childless adults—
and women more than men—but a baby’s
screech is tuned to trigger every grown-up.
Each moment of screaming contains crucial
information about a child’s level of distress.
Throughout the seven seconds of audio below,
acoustic clues in the sound waves signal just
how urgently a kiddo needs help.
BY SARA CHODOSH
ILLUSTRATION BY JACQUES KLEYNHANS
1 Attracting Attention
During late pregnancy and following
birth, caregivers produce elevated
levels of prolactin and oxytocin, which
prime their ears to be especially
sensitive to the frequency range of a
newborn’s cries. These hormones also
promote nurturing behaviors—like
physically comforting the kid—and
boost positive feelings that can help
keep new moms and dads from
throwing their hands up in despair.2 Mildly Upset
Although we perceive this early whine
as only one sound, it’s made up of
many harmonic tones. When these
pitches ring distinctly from one an-
other, it signals that a child’s in need
but not desperate—a difference adult
brains subconsciously grok. No matter
what, the cry will get attention: The
lowest line here, called the fundamen-
tal frequency, starts off well within
hearing range of most grown-ups.64 WINTER 2019 • POPSCI.COM
SOURCE:^ PORTER^ ET^ AL.,CHILDDEVELOPMENT,^19863 Increasing Angst
As a baby gets more irritated, their
amygdala (the brain’s fear center)
stimulates a group of neurons in
the brainstem, which sends signals
whizzing toward the heart and voice
box via the vagus nerve—one of the
major controls of the autonomic
nervous system. These urgent mes-
sages cause the pitch of an infant’s
sobs to shoot upward, and also
shorten the bursts they come in.12 3
STRESS LEVEL