Women are better than men at talking to babies, researchers have concluded.
That’s because women spend more time with babies and learn what vocal patterns they respond to, they say.
And women’s speech patterns are apparently clearer than men’s, their study shows.
Psychologists at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania and IBM’s Almaden Research Center used a computer program to study parents’ speech patterns.
Babies pick up on the effect of speech, rather than actual words, so the program monitored rhythm, pitch and stress.
Six sets of parents were asked to make approving or disapproving comments to encourage their kids, or warn them to stay away from dangerous objects like sharp instruments.
The researchers then used the program to analyze almost 700 excerpts of speech.
In 80 percent of cases, it correctly distinguished between approving or disapproving comments.
The research is published in New Scientist magazine.