Approximately 20% of babies are born with a turbulent and unregulated temperament, characterized by high sensitivity to new stimuli, a tendency to cry excessively, and difficulty calming down once emotionally aroused. Previous studies have identified this temperament as a potential risk factor for challenges in social-emotional development, particularly for the emergence of anxiety disorders. The current study found that contingent responsive parenting — that is, consistently and accurately responding to the baby’s cues and rhythms — can shape patterns of brain activity in ways that strengthen the child’s capacity for emotional regulation and reduce the likelihood of developing emotional difficulties later in life.

Many people view their dog as a family member, friend, or kid, but does the relationship with them really resemble these human relationships? Researchers from ELTE Eötvös Loránd University now set out to explore the precise role dogs play in human social networks by comparing human-dog relationships with human-human relationships using 13 relationship scales. Their study revealed that the owner-dog relationship can be interpreted as a mix of child and best friend relationships, combining positive aspects of the child relationship with the lack of negative aspects of friendship, blended with a high level of control over the dog.  Interestingly, while owners often rate their relationship with their dog as superior to any human bond, the study also found that more support in human relationships correlates with more support in dog-owner bonds, suggesting that dogs complement human relationships rather than compensate for their deficiencies.