An interview with Masha A. Gartstein
Does culture determine whether or not our kids become introverts or extroverts? What makes some babies and kids more prone to fussiness while others are more calm? Also, can we positively influence our children’s behavior or is temperament primarily genetic?
Maria (Masha) Gartstein is a professor in the Washington State University Department of Psychology and the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program Director. Masha and her collaborators’ research has focused on the role that parenting plays in how temperament “comes online” in early childhood. Their work is the subject of an episode in the Netflix documentary “Babies” filmed at the Gartstein Temperament Laboratory.
In this interview she answers some of the above questions and also discusses findings on the impacts of the microbiome, genetics, epigenetics, parenting and culture on children’s temperament.
She also talks about:
– Her childhood growing up
– The impacts of stress during pregnancy
– Difficulties and challenges women researchers and faculty face when they become mothers
– Individualism vs. collectivism and how what’s valued in each culture influences our childrens’ behavior
– The Frozen II motto she lives by
If you’re interested in learning about her fascinating research, make sure to tune into this episode.
Make sure to check out the episode on the podcast for the full interview…
This episode was recorded earlier and published on Janurary 5th, 2021 on The Insider Mom Podcast
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About the host
Hi there! I’m Royah Loie, a doula, childbirth educator, lactation counselor and the creator of The Insider Mom Podcast. Becoming a parent made me realize so many things, one of which is the incredible work so many moms do in raising their kids, work that sometimes goes unnoticed in society. It’s unfortunate because, I truly believe that moms have one of the most valuable jobs in the world .
That’s why I created Insider Mom, to help you on your journey as a person and as a parent. Whether you want to find ways to get more sleep, workout more and feel energized, learn about the best parenting strategies, make more time for self-care, or other topics, you can find it on the blog or podcast.
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