In an experiment to test voice preference, 3-week-old infants were given a pacifier that could play recordings. When the pacifier played their mother's voice, the infants sucked more strongly than when it played a stranger's voice, providing evidence for their preference for the maternal voice.

Pacifier Study on Voice Preference

Newborns show a distinct preference for human voices over non-speech sounds. Research indicates they will listen to voices for longer durations and have a specific preference for their mother's voice over that of a stranger.

Google

A newborn's primary senses for interacting with the world include vision, hearing, and smell. These senses are at different stages of maturity at birth. For example, vision is considered the least developed sense, while hearing and smell are strong enough to show distinct preferences.

Classification of Newborn Senses by Development

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

Despite vision being a newborn's least developed sense, infants demonstrate an innate preference for looking at human faces. This tendency is observable from just a few days after birth and is important for early social bonding.

Newborn Vision: Preference for Faces

Newborn Hearing: Preference for Human Voices

Newborns have a well-developed sense of smell that enables them to distinguish their own mother's unique scent from that of other people. This olfactory recognition is evident as early as one week after birth.

Learn Before

Related

Learn After