Why babies laugh, with Gina Mireault, PhD

Speaker 10:00

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Kim Mills· Host0:29

Before babies have the words to tell us what they're thinking, they can laugh. Infant giggles are undeniably adorable. They're one of babyhood's most joyful milestones, and it turns out these joyful moments have a serious side too. For scientists, infant laughter can provide a window into understanding how babies' minds develop during their first year of life. So when do babies start to laugh, and why? What do they find funny? Why do some babies laugh at almost anything, while others have a more serious temperament? When do babies start trying to make other people laugh? And what can this progression tell us about babies' cognitive development and how they experience the world? Welcome to Speaking of Psychology, the flagship podcast of the American Psychological Association that examines the links between psychological science and everyday life. I'm Kim Mills. My guest today is Dr. Gina Mireault, a professor of psychology at Vermont State University, where she