The Scientist in the Crib: What Early Learning Tells Us About the Mind

asked by vern on November 18, 2006 4:20 PM

A trio of nationally respected childhood-development scientists hailing from Berkeley and the University of Washington has authored The Scientist in the Crib to correct a disparity: while popular books about science speak to intelligent, perceptive adults who simply want to learn, books about babies typically just give advice, heavy on the how-to and light on the why. The authors write, "It's as if the only place you could read about evolution was in dog-breeding manuals, not in Stephen Jay Gould; as if, lacking Stephen Hawking's insights, the layman's knowledge of the cosmos was reduced to 'How to find the constellations.'"

The Scientist in the Crib changes that. Standing on the relatively recent achievements of the young field of cognitive science (pointing out that not so long ago, babies were considered only slightly animate vegetables--"carrots that could cry"), the authors succinctly and articulately sum up the state of what's now known about children's minds and how they learn. Using language that's both friendly and smart (and using equally accessible metaphors, everything from Scooby-Doo to The Third Man), The Scientist in the Crib explores how babies recognize and understand their fellow humans, interpret sensory input, absorb language, learn and devise theories, and take part in building their own brains.

Such science makes for great reading, but will likely prove even more useful to readers with a scientist in their own crib, acting as tonic to pseudoscientific how-to baby books that recommend everything "from flash cards, to Mozart tapes, to Better Baby Institutes." As the authors put it, "We want to understand children, not renovate them." --Paul Hughes

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Reviews

Explains why toddlers say "no" all the time and other perplexing things our children go through.

reviewed by 78704 on November 29, 2006 3:51 AM

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There have been so many times since my son was born that I've wondered just what's going on in there. How we can wordlessly communicate, and how much I think he really understands about what's going on around him. This book does an excellent job of demystifying the mind of a baby and explains it in an engaging way. A perfect gift for new parents.

reviewed by aries on November 29, 2006 5:36 PM

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This book is a concise, readable summary of recent science on baby brain development. A nice antidote to all the urban-legend-based/ new-age/ guilt-and-paranoia/ baby literature out there.

reviewed by bigwinner on November 29, 2006 7:02 PM

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... there's a distinct need for a book between the "how-to" manuals like Dr. Spock and the "hard science" works in Scientific American and scholarly journals.

This book by serious scientists who are also devoted and observant parents hits the sweet spot!

If you are looking for yet another book of opinions on how to raise kids, keep looking. This book describes scientifically repeatable findings, using techniques some of which you can replicate (...you might not have access to an MRI device, but you can play with your own child's concept of "gone" ...)

50 pages of notes for people who want to dig deeper into the research! 15 pages of index for people in a hurry! Amusing anecdotes to lift the tedium of careful analysis.

This is a book for any thoughtful and curious parent. It is NOT a "how-to" ... more of a "why it works".

reviewed by onthemic on November 29, 2006 7:31 PM

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add a new book!