Behavioral and Brain Sciences

Table of Contents - 2004 - Volume 27, Issue 04  


Short Communication

Infant colic: Re-evaluating the adaptive hypotheses

Dario Maestripieri a1 and Kristina M. Durante a1
a1 Institute for Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637 dario@uchicago.edu kdurante@uchicago.edu http://primate.uchicago.edu/dario.htm http://primate.uchicago.edu/kristina.htm

Abstract

Colic may allow infants to obtain additional investment from their parents. The lack of clear fitness costs of colic and of differences in condition between colicky and non-colicky infants is inconsistent with the hypotheses that colic is an honest signal of need or vigor. These and other characteristics of colic, however, are consistent with the hypothesis that colic is a manipulative signal.