Learning in Relationships
The Development of Human
Communication
Thomas Fuchs
Translated from the German by Nina Keuttel

Introduction: Speech and Body Language

A child’s social skill development is predominantly based upon physical communication, or “inter-physicality” (Merleau-
Ponty)

Overview: 1. Neuron Plasticity and Brain
Development 2. Learning in Relationships

Neuron Plasticity and Development:
The human brain is a socially and biographically formed organ.

Neuron Plasticity: Synaptic “Learning”
Hebb 1949: „Neurons that fire together wire together“

Experience-dependent Plasticity of the Brain:
Every experience effects a change in our brain and with that also in our self. In relationships the brain changes and forms itself.

Beginning: the Sense of touch
Touching, holding, lifting, rocking, and breastfeeding are the first conveyors of, the feeling of feeling secure and protected.
In the beginning was realtionship: Early Childhood

Beginning: Sense of sight
Innate differentialtion between animate and inanimate attentiveness to faces
Innate ability to imitate facial expressions.
(Meltzoff & Moore 1989)

Early Imitation: the foundation of empathy

Basic Emotions and their Expression
Irrespective of culture and rooted in biology:
Anger, revulsion, fear, sadness, joy, surprise
Universal Emotions

Emotional Resonance
Intuitive Parenting „Skills“
(Papousek Papousek)
Typical Models of Behavior:
• Appropriate distance
• Eye contact
• Reaction to greeting
• Facial Expressions
• Melodic Baby Talk

Emotional Resonance
Musical Qualities
„crescendo, decrescendo“, flowing, soft, explosive, etc.)
• Emotional coordination „common state of consciousness“, „common dance,“ (Daniel Stern)

Primordial Resonance and Empathy System

Empathy
“Mirror Neurons” (Rizzolatti u. Gallese 1996ff.) as a basis for Information and Empathy:
Self Movement (gripping for example)
„Observation of Movement “ Mirror Neurons

Not from self
Watching another grip something

„Mirror Neurons“
(Rizzolatti 1996, Gallese 2001)
Two Main Functions:
• Social Understanding
• Learning Social Imitation
Neuronal Neuro Systems also exist for affectations
(e.g. Laughing, Revulsion, Pain).
Development and differentiation of neuronal mirror systems only in social contexts

Unconscious Learning: Implicit Memory
To differentiate from recall memory (autobiographic memory, starts at age 2)
Formation of habits, automatic skills
Organized mainly in the subcortical region

Implicit Memory
Significance for Social Learning:
- Interactive acquisition behavior pattern
(„schemes-of-being-with“, Daniel Stern)
„Implicit Relationship Knowledge“
„musical“ memory, organized by time

„ StillFace“-Experiment
• 2 minute long fixed facial expression of the mother during a play interval:
 irritated, often anxious reaction of the infant
• Children distinguish between mothers with:
- sensitive, lively interaction or
- rather more insensitive, passive behavior
(Frequent result: Bonding problem)

Bonding System
(John Bowlby 1955)
Biologically based system for the regulation of proximity, care, and emotional connection:
• Typical signals (searching, calling, looking, crying, clinging, among others.)
• Impulse drive and needs: (e.g., for attention, nearness, warmth)
• Neuro-endocrin functions (e.g., oxytocin effect)

Bonding System
Early bonding as a model for later relationships:
Secure bonding structure
Deprivation syndrome in orphanage children (Spitz 1967)
Effects of postpartum depression of the mother

„The Nine Months Revolution“
„Joint Attention“
Pointing gestures as an expression of a common connection with objects
S
1
S
2
S
1
S
2
O
Dyadic Interaction Triadic Interaction

„The Nine Months Revolution“
Development of speech in the context of joint activities, especially when associated with gestures

The Development of
Self Awareness
• Basal sense of self before birth
•„Self with otheres“ in the first year of life
• Understanding perspective from the age of 9 months:
„Seeing yourself through another‘s eyes“
• The mirror test

• „I“ Pronouns
• Understanding Perspective
• Prefrontal Brain Structures as basis for reception of perspective and self-distancing develop with interactive experiences

Human beings do not come into the world as separate entities. From the beginning, they are already biologically presdisposed toward relationship with others:
- Bonding System
- Resonance and Empathy System

Summary (2)
Beginning of dialogue communications with pointing gestures in cooperative situations
Basis:
Joint attention
Altruistic and cooperative motivation
The role of the brain as „the relationshop organ“

Neuroscience and Education
Neurobiological knowledge about learning processes:
1) Implicit learning as an enduring foundation
2) Learning in relationships
3) Sense oriented Learning Process
4) Learning as an integral process (cognitive – emotional – leiblich – interaktive)
→ Embedding in atmospher and feelings
→
Embedding in trused environmental contexts
→
Embedding in sensory and movement experiences

Outlook

Thank you very much for your attention!