Evolution of human parenting: Canalization,new types of learning,and mother-infant conflict

Human infancy is the mammalian extreme of an evolutionary trend towards a long, drawn-out life history. An extreme form of parental care and investment co-evolved. This is a drain on the mother’s resources and, consequently, a conflict results between the interests of the mother and the infant. It is in the interest of the mother to reduce her care as soon as possible. This is not done all at once, but in steps. The timing of these steps is dictated by the highly canalized infant development. Every time a new type of learning (preadapted responsiveness to certain learning opportunities) emerges in the infant, the mother withholds a related type of privilege/care. Consequently, mother-infant conflict results, until the infant gives in and reaches a new level of independence. Mother’s behaviour in a conflict period is of paramount importance: on the one hand it is mother’s role to sense the infant’s new educability and to (force) teach it how to use the newly emerged abilities it might not, or not fully, have used otherwise. On the other hand, mother-infant conflict may escalate and become pathogenic. Mother is bound to stay within limits dictated by the canalized abilities and interests of the infant. A deepened knowledge of the new types of learning is helpful in education during infancy. Control Systems Theory (CST) is useful in understanding the new types of learning and in bringing order in many new infant developments in various functional domains.