The Natural History of Child Signals of Need in Utila, Honduras : An Exploratory Study.

Abstract

To gain support, children use signals to communicate their needs and wants to parents. Infant signals of need, particularly infant cries, have been extensively studied in diverse populations. However, the full range of potential child signals of need, which extend beyond cries, has rarely been investigated in a single study of children of all ages. To help fill this gap, we collected mother and other primary caregiver reports of three common types of child signaling from 131 families with 263 children on Utila, a small island off the coast of Honduras. In exploratory analyses, we found that child signaling was common in both sexes and across all ages, although it decreased with age and neighborhood quality and increased with the frequency of conflict between children and caretakers. Consistent with signaling theory, children who were sad more frequently were perceived as needier within the household and were more likely to receive investment. Caregivers were less likely to respond positively in situations of family conflict or child transgressions, and more likely for injuries and illness. Our results suggest that evolutionary theories of signaling can help explain patterns of child sadness, crying, and temper tantrums.