When do kids start to care about other people's opinions? | Sara Valencia Botto

Translator: Penny Martínez Reviewer: Mario Cal

I'd like you to take a moment

Gustaríame que tomasen un intre

and consider what you are wearing right now.

en pensasen na roupa que levan agora.

I have a deep, philosophical question for you.

Fágolles unha pregunta profunda e filosófica:

Why are we not all wearing comfortable pajamas right now?

Por que non levamos todos pixamas cómodos xusto agora?

(Laughter)

(Risas)

Well, I'm a psychologist and not a mind reader,

Ben, eu son psicóloga e non unha lectora de mentes,

although many people think that's the same thing.

aínda que moita xente pense que son o mesmo.

I can bet you that your response is somewhere along the lines of,

Podo apostar que a súa resposta sería algo así como:

"I'm expected to not wear pj's in public"

"Espérase de min que non utilice pixama en público"

or "I don't want people to think I am a slob."

ou "Non quero que a xente pense que son un lacazán."

Either way, the fact that we all chose to wear business casual clothing,

Sexa como sexa, o feito de que todos elixamos levar roupa informal de traballo,

as opposed to our favorite pair of sweatpants,

no canto dos nosos pantalóns de chándal favoritos

is not a silly coincidence.

non é unha casualidade parva.

Instead, it reveals two defining human characteristics.

Pola contra, revela dúas características humanas que nos definen.

The first is that we are cognizant of what other people value,

A primeira é que somos conscientes do que outras persoas valoran,

like what they will approve or disapprove of,

o que aprobarán ou desaprobarán,

such as not wearing pj's to these sorts of settings.

así como non usar pixama para este tipo de eventos.

And two, we've readily used this information to guide our behavior.

E dúas, utilizamos esta información para guiar o noso comportamento.

Unlike many other species,

A diferenza de outras moitas especies,

humans are prone to tailor their behavior in the presence of others

os humanos somos propensos a adaptar o noso comportamento ante a presenza doutros

to garner approval.

para obter aprobación.

We spend valuable time putting on make up,

Pasamos un tempo valioso maquillándonos,

choosing the right picture and Instagram filter,

escollendo a imaxe correcta e o filtro de Instagram,

and composing ideas that will undoubtedly change the world

e compoñendo ideas que sen dúbida cambiarán o mundo

in 140 characters or less.

en 140 caracteres ou menos.

Clearly, our concern with how other people will evaluate us

É evidente que a nosa preocupación por como nos avaliarán os demais

is a big part of being human.

é unha gran parte do ser humano.

Despite this being a big human trait, however,

Mais a pesar de ser este unha gran característica humana

we know relatively little about when and how

sabemos relativamente pouco de cando e como

we come to care about the opinion of others.

chegamos a preocuparnos pola opinión dos demais.

Now, this is a big question that requires many studies.

Esta é unha gran pregunta que require moitos estudos.

But the first step to uncovering this question

Pero o primeiro paso para descubrir esta cuestión

is to investigate when in development

é investigar cando no desenvolvemento

we become sensitive to others' evaluations.

nos convertemos en sensibles ás avaliacións dos outros.

I have spent the past four years at Emory University

Pasei os últimos catro anos na Emory University

investigating how an infant,

investigando como un bebé,

who has no problem walking around the grocery store in her onesie,

que non ten problemas para andar polo supermercado en pixama,

develops into an adult that fears public speaking

se transforma nun adulto que teme falar en público

for fear of being negatively judged.

por medo a ser xulgado negativamente.

(Laughter)

(Risas)

Now, this is usually a point when people ask me,

Agora é normalmente cando a xente me pregunta:

"How do you investigate this question, exactly?

"Como investigas exactamente ese tema?

Infants can't talk, right?"

Os bebés non poden falar, non si?"

Well, if my husband were up here right now,

Ben, se o meu marido estivese aquí agora,

he would tell you that I interview babies,

el diríalles que entrevisto os bebés,

because he would rather not say that his wife experiments on children.

porque preferiría non dicir que a súa muller experimenta con nenos.

(Laughter)

(Risas)

In reality, I design experiments for children,

En realidade, deseño experimentos para nenos,

usually in the form of games.

normalmente en forma de xogos.

Developmental psychologist Dr. Philippe Rochat and I

O psicólogo do desenvolvemento Philippe Rochat e eu

designed a "game" called "The Robot Task"

deseñamos un "xogo" chamado "A tarefa do robot"

to explore when children would begin to be sensitive

para explorar cando os nenos comezan a ser sensibles

to the evaluation of others.

á avaliación dos outros.

Specifically, the robot task captures when children, like adults,

En concreto, a tarefa do robot captura cando os nenos, como os adultos,

strategically modify their behavior when others are watching.

modifican estratexicamente o seu comportamento cando outros os miran.

To do this, we showed 14 to 24-month-old infants

Para iso, mostramos aos nenos de 14 a 24 meses

how to activate a toy robot,

como activar un robot de xoguete,

and importantly, we either assigned a positive value,

e algo importante: asignamos un valor positivo,

saying "Wow, isn't that great!"

dicindo: "Guau!, non é xenial?"

or a negative value, saying, "Oh, oh. Oops, oh no,"

ou un valor negativo, dicindo: "Oh, oh. Epa, non"

after pressing the remote.

despois de premer o mando a distancia.

Following this toy demonstration,

Despois desta demostración,

we invited the infants to play with the remote,

invitamos aos nenos a xogar co mando a distancia,

and then either watched them

e logo mirámolos

or turned around and pretended to read a magazine.

ou nos damos a volta e finximos ler unha revista.

The idea was that if by 24 months,

A idea era que se antes dos 24 meses,

children are indeed sensitive to the evaluation of others,

os nenos xa son de verdade sensibles á avaliación dos outros,

then their button-pressing behavior should be influenced

entón o seu modo de usar o botón debería estar influído

not only by whether or not they're being watched

non só por ser ou non observados

but also by the values that the experimenter expressed

senón tamén polos valores que o experimentador expresou

towards pressing the remote.

sobre premer o mando.

So for example,

Entón por exemplo:

we would expect children to play with the positive remote significantly more

esperaríamos que os nenos xogasen co mando positivo significativamente máis

if they were being observed

se estivesen sendo observados

but then choose to explore the negative remote

pero logo optasen por explorar o mando negativo

once no one was watching.

cando ninguén estivese mirando.

To really capture this phenomenon, we did three variations of the study.

Para captar realmente este fenómeno, fixemos tres variacións do estudo.

Study one explored how infants would engage with a novel toy

O primeiro estudo exploraba como os bebés se implicaban cun xoguete novo

if there were no values or instructions provided.

se non se daban valores ou instrucións.

So we simply showed infants how to activate the toy robot,

Só mostramos aos nenos cómo activar o robot de xoguete,

but didn't assign any values,

pero non lle asignabamos valor,

and we also didn't tell them that they could play with the remote,

e tampouco lles dixemos que podían xogar co control remoto,

providing them with a really ambiguous situation.

dándolles unha situación realmente ambigua.

In study two,

No segundo estudo,

we incorporated the two values, a positive and a negative.

incorporamos os dous valores, un positivo e un negativo.

And in the last study, we had two experimenters and one remote.

E no último estudo, tivemos dous experimentadores e un mando.

One experimenter expressed a negative value towards pressing the remote,

Un experimentador expresaba un valor negativo ao premer o mando,

saying, "Yuck, the toy moved,"

dicindo: "Uf, o xoguete moveuse"

while the other experimenter expressed a positive value, saying,

e o outro experimentador expresaba un valor positivo, dicindo:

"Yay, the toy moved."

"Hurra, o xoguete moveuse."

And this is how the children reacted to these three different scenarios.

E así reaccionaron os nenos ante estes tres diferentes escenarios.

So in study one, the ambiguous situation,

No primeiro estudo, a situación ambigua,

I'm currently watching the child.

eu estou mirando a nena.

She doesn't seem to be too interested in pressing the remote.

Ela non parece demasiado interesada en presionar o mando.

Once I turned around --

Mais unha vez que me dou a volta --

now she's ready to play.

agora está lista para xogar.

(Laughter)

(Risas)

Currently, I'm not watching the child.

Aquí non estou mirando a nena.

She's really focused.

Está moi centrada.

I turn around.

Doume a volta.

(Laughter)

(Risas)

She wasn't doing anything, right?

Non facía nada, non si?

In study two, it's the two remotes,

No segundo estudo, o dos dous mandos,

one with the positive and one with the negative value.

un co valor positivo e outro co negativo.

I'm currently observing the child.

Aquí estou observando a nena.

And the orange remote is a negative remote.

E o mando laranxa é o negativo.

She's just looking around, looking at me, hanging out.

Ela só está mirando arredor, para min e xogando.

Then I turn around ...

Entón dou a volta ...

(Laughter)

(Risas)

That's what she's going for.

Iso é a polo que ela vai.

I'm not watching the child.

Aquí non estou mirando ao neno.

He wants the mom to play with it, right?

El quere que a nai xogue con iso, ¿non?

Take a safer route.

Coller unha ruta máis segura.

I turn around ...

Doume a volta ...

(Laughter)

(Risas)

He wasn't doing anything, either.

E tampouco estaba facendo nada.

Yeah, he feels awkward.

Si, séntese raro.

(Laughter)

(Risas)

Everyone knows that side-eyed glance, right?

Todos coñecemos esa mirada de esguello, non?

Study three, the two experimenters, one remote.

No terceiro estudo, os dous experimentadores e un mando.

The experimenter that reacted negatively towards pressing the remote

O experimentador que reaccionou negativamente ao presionar o mando

is watching the child right now.

esta a mirar a nena agora.

She feels a little awkward, doesn't know what to do, relying on Mom.

Séntese un pouco rara, non sabe que facer, confía na nai.

And then, she's going to turn around

E entón, ela dáse a volta

so that the experimenter that expressed a positive response is watching.

para que o experimentador que tivo unha resposta positiva a vexa.

Coast is clear -- now she's ready to play.

Todo despexado, agora está lista para xogar.

(Laughter)

(Risas)

So, as the data suggests,

Así que, como os datos suxiren,

we found that children's button-pressing behavior

descubrimos que o comportamento de premer o botón

was indeed influenced by the values and the instructions of the experimenter.

estaba moi influenciado polos valores e instrucións do experimentador.

Because in study one, children did not know

Porque no primeiro estudo, os nenos non sabían

what would be positively or negatively evaluated,

o que sería avaliado positivamente ou negativamente,

they tended to take the safest route

e tendían a tomar a ruta máis segura

and wait until I turned my back to press the remote.

e agardar a que me virase para presionar o mando.

Children in study two

Os nenos do segundo estudo

chose to press the positive remote significantly more when I was watching,

optaban por presionar o mando positivo de xeito máis significativo cando os vía,

but then once I turned my back,

pero unha vez me viraba,

they immediately took the negative remote and started playing with it.

inmediatamente tomaban o mando negativo e comezaban a xogar con el.

Importantly, in a control study,

Algo importante: nun estudo de control,

where we removed the different values of the remotes --

onde eliminamos os diferentes valores dos mandos --

so we simply said, "Oh, wow" after pressing either of the remotes --

e só dixemos: "Oh, vaites!" despois de presionar calquera dos mandos -

children's button-pressing behavior no longer differed across conditions,

vimos que o comportamento dos nenos xa non difería entre as condicións,

suggesting that it was really the values that we gave the two remotes

o que suxire que foron os valores que lles demos aos dous mandos

that drove the behavior in the previous study.

o que impulsou o comportamento no estudo anterior.

Last but not least,

E por último, pero non menos importante,

children in study three chose to press a remote significantly more

os nenos do terceiro estudo optaron por presionar máis un mando

when the experimenter that expressed a positive value was watching,

cando o experimentador que expresaba un valor positivo estaba mirando,

as opposed to the experimenter that had expressed a negative value.

ao contrario do experimentador que expresara un valor negativo.

Not coincidentally,

Non casualmente,

it is also around this age that children begin to show embarrassment

tamén en torno a esta idade os nenos comezan a ter vergoña

in situations that might elicit a negative evaluation,

en situacións que poidan implicar unha avaliación negativa,

such as looking at themselves in the mirror

como mirarse no espello

and noticing a mark on their nose.

e notar unha mancha no nariz.

The equivalent of finding spinach in your teeth, for adults.

O equivalente a ter espinaca nos dentes, para os adultos.

(Laughter)

(Risas)

So what can we say, based on these findings?

Entón, que podemos dicir en función destes achados?

Besides the fact that babies are actually really, really sneaky.

Ademais do feito de que os bebés son moi moi, moi arteiros.

(Laughter)

(Risas)

From very early on, children, like adults,

Dende moi cedo, os nenos, coma os adultos,

are sensitive to the values that we place on objects and behaviors.

son sensibles aos valores que poñemos en obxectos e comportamentos.

And importantly, they use these values to guide their behavior.

E empregan estes valores para orientar o seu comportamento.

Whether we're aware of it or not,

Sexamos conscientes ou non,

we're constantly communicating values to those around us.

estamos comunicando constantemente valores aos que nos rodean.

Now, I don't mean values like "be kind" or "don't steal,"

Non me refiro a valores como "ser amable" ou "non roubar",

although those are certainly values.

aínda que eses son certamente valores.

I mean that we are constantly showing others, specifically our children,

Refírome a que amosamos a outros, especialmente aos nosos fillos,

what is likeable, valuable and praiseworthy, and what is not.

o que é agradable, valioso e loable, e o que non.

And a lot of the times,

E moitas das veces,

we actually do this without even noticing it.

facémolo sen sequera decatarnos.

Psychologists study behavior to explore the contents of the mind,

Os psicólogos estudan o comportamento para explorar o contido da mente,

because our behavior often reflects our beliefs,

porque o noso comportamento adoita reflectir as nosas crenzas,

our values and our desires.

os nosos valores e os nosos desexos.

Here in Atlanta, we all believe the same thing.

Aquí en Atlanta, todos cremos o mesmo.

That Coke is better than Pepsi.

Que a Coca-Cola é mellor que a Pepsi.

(Applause)

(Aplausos)

Now, this might have to do with the fact that Coke was invented in Atlanta.

Isto podería ter que ver co feito de que a Coca-Cola se inventou en Atlanta.

But regardless,

Pero independentemente,

this belief is expressed in the fact that most people will chose to drink Coke.

esta crenza exprésase no feito de que a maioría da xente elixirá beber Coca-Cola

In the same way,

Do mesmo xeito,

we are communicating a value

comunicamos un valor

when we mostly complement girls

cando louvamos as nenas

for their pretty hair or their pretty dress,

polo seu pelo bonito ou o seu bonito vestido,

but boys, for their intelligence.

e aos nenos, pola súa intelixencia.

Or when we chose to offer candy, as opposed to nutritious food,

Ou cando eliximos ofrecer doces, en vez de alimentos nutritivos,

as a reward for good behavior.

como recompensa polo bo comportamento.

Adults and children are incredibly effective

Nenos e adultos somos incriblemente eficaces

at picking up values from these subtle behaviors.

captando valores nestes comportamentos sutís.

And in turn, this ends up shaping their own behavior.

E á súa vez, isto acaba configurando o seu propio comportamento.

The research I have shared with you today

A investigación que compartín hoxe con vós

suggests that this ability emerges very early in development,

suxire que esta capacidade xorde moi cedo no desenvolvemento,

before we can even utter a complete sentence

antes incluso de poder dicir unha oración completa

or are even potty-trained.

ou de deixar o cueiro.

And it becomes an integral part of who we grow up to be.

E vólvese unha parte integrante de quen somos de adultos.

So before I go,

E antes de marchar,

I'd like to invite you to contemplate on the values

quero invitalos a contemplar os valores

that we broadcast in day-to-day interactions,

que transmitimos nas interaccións cotiás,

and how these values might be shaping the behavior of those around you.

e como poden estar configurando o comportamento dos que os rodean.

For example, what value is being broadcasted

Por exemplo, que valor se está a emitir

when we spend more time smiling at our phone

cando pasamos máis tempo sorríndolle ao noso teléfono

than smiling with other people?

que sorrindo con outra xente?

Likewise, consider how your own behavior has been shaped by those around you,

Consideren así mesmo como os que o rodean formaron o seu comportamento,

in ways you might not have considered before.

de formas que pode non ter considerado antes.

To go back to our simple illustration,

Para volver á nosa sinxela ilustración,

do you really prefer Coke over Pepsi?

prefiren de verdade Coca-Cola a Pepsi?

Or was this preference simply driven by what others around you valued?

ou foi esta preferencia motivada polo que outros ao seu redor valoraban?

Parents and teachers certainly have the privilege

Os pais e os profesores teñen sen dúbida o privilexio

to shape children's behavior.

de dar forma ao comportamento dos nenos.

But it is important to remember

Pero é importante lembrar

that through the values we convey in simple day-to-day interactions,

que a través dos valores que transmitimos en interaccións sinxelas do día a día,

we all have the power to shape the behavior of those around us.

todos temos o poder de conformar o comportamento dos que nos rodean.

Thank you.

Grazas.

(Applause)

(Aplausos)