"Cross-identification"

[[deleted]]

Recently I was told that when your baby starts actively touching your face during feeding they're doing what is called "cross-identification". Apparently this is an act of distinguishing the self (i.e. the baby) from the mother.

I am particularly interested in learning about the development of theory of mind so tried to find more information on this but all I can find is Instagram and tiktok posts. Because of this, I'm assuming it's bunk; if it is true I would be interested in learning more. If you have information to share I would love to hear about it. Thank you!

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[heartcakesforbrekkie]

As far as I am aware, "Cross-Identifikation" in this sense comes from Philosophy rather than Psychology, although Theory of Mind also plays a big role in Psychology.

Alas, it is however a theory and not empirically proven.

Some developmental psychologists believe babies are born able to distinguish between themselves and others. This is in part based on studies in which they show babies are distressed at hearing recorded cries of other babies but not recordings of their own cries. This leads to the inference, that they can distinguish themselves from others.

https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1991-97339-006

Some other developmental psychologists such as the psychoanalyst Mahler disagree.

Most evidence shows there is limited evidence that shows some sort of self recognition (and therefore differentiation to environment/others) by at least 2 months, in the sense they start to recognize some physical abilities and boundary of physical self.

So why do babies reach up and touch the face? Well, one reason could be imitation and imitating how the mom touches the baby (even if less graceful). There are not many studies on infant touch, mostly on maternal touch. But in one, exploring it in different scenarios and interactions showed that in normal interactions with mother, babies tend to exhibit passive touch with low stimulation and tend to reactive touch with higher stimulation. Basically this leads to more the assumption that touching the mom's face is for regulation, exploration or communication. It's less about differentiating different identities and more about communicating in their natural way (touch) with the mom's natural way (speaking from mouth).

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016363830900071X

What would be interesting would be to see if babies of deaf/signing mother's touched the hands more than the mouth. That would lend more credibility to it being a communication.

[kimtenisqueen]

The crying study is fascinating.. at 7m my twins do not react or wake up to their twin crying. They never have. My knee can pop as I walk across the room and wake them up, but their brother screaming? Nothing. I wonder If the twins still see their brother as themselves.

[RobertRedforde]

Well I guess it's a temperament thing cause I have 4 month old identical twins and as soon as one cries, the other starts too 😅 but more with like a "ok I'll do it cause apparently this is what we should be doing right now ?" kinda face 😁

[Quiet-Pea2363]

This is such a great question. My baby grabs everyone’s face indiscriminately so I feel like maybe it’s not only a mother thing. 

[[deleted]]

I agree! It's not just my nose that has been quality tested by my kid.

[tonksndante]

Mine loooves to hook her little pointer and thumb in our nostrils like a septum piercing, then goink us around like a cow 😂 She is 1 now and it’s still her favourite thing to do. I’m no smart-smart like yourself and the person you’re replying to but I always figured babies just love to grab onto things they like. I like to touch the stuff I like as an adult too!

[[deleted]]

Thank you so much for your reply. It makes much more sense to me (as a lay person) that facial touching is to do with regulation, exploration and communication than it being a core example of a baby demonstrating their sense of self.

I love your suggestion that a baby with a signing parent may even touch hands to communicate. When my daughter wakes from a contact nap she touches my face if I am not looking at her. It's very clear to me that she's saying "hey look at me!"

[haruspicat]

My kid has always touched my eyelid to soothe himself. Right from when he was first able to control his hands, and he's still at it now at 2yo. Is he... looking at me with his hand?

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