Babies’ vocal-sound productions: an integrative review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33871/22386084.2026.16.11075Keywords:
vocalization, baby, vocal-sound productions, integrative reviewAbstract
The conception of the baby as a protagonist of their own development and as a holder of communicative abilities is not yet a consensus within the scientific field. From this context, the aim of this study is to analyze, through an integrative review, how the sound-vocal productions of babies under 24 months have been presented in the scientific literature over the past five years. The review considered the period between
2020 and July 2025 in the PubMed, SciELO, APA PsycInfo, and Cairn databases, using the terms “baby” and “vocalizations.” Initially, 558 articles were identified, of which 45 met the inclusion criteria and composed the final scope of the review. A predominance of publications from North American institutions written in English was observed, with a higher concentration of observational and longitudinal studies. Based on the analysis of the texts, the articles were organized into two thematic categories, considering their objectives and methodological characteristics: (1) characteristics of sound-vocal production and (2) socio-environmental context. The results indicate that, for the most part, babies’ sound-vocal productions are still understood as precursors to speech. Although some studies recognize the infant as an active participant in the communicative process, approaches that legitimize these productions as language endowed with its own expressivity remain limited. It is concluded that this topic requires theoretical and methodological advances that support the infant as a protagonist in communicative processes.
Downloads
References
ANDRÉ, Vanessa; DURIER,Virginie; HENRY, Séverine; NASSUR, Fouad; SIZUN, Jacques; HAUSBERGER, Martine; LEMASSON, Alban. The vocal repertoire of preterm infants: Characteristics and possible applications. Infant Behav Dev. v.60, p.1-10, Aug. 2020. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2020.101463. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
APTER, Gisèle; DEVOUCHE, Emmanuel; GENET, Marie-Camille; GRATIER, Maya; VITTE, Lisa. Comment les bébés apprennent-ils ? Enfances & Psy. v.104, n.3, p.55-62, 2025. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.3917/ep.104.0055. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
ATHARI, Pegah; DEY, Rajib; RVACHEW, Susan. Vocal imitation between mothers and infants. Infant Behav Dev. v.63, p.1-15, May 2021. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2021.101531. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
BARKAT-DEFRADAS, Melissa. L’expression vocale des émotions chez le primate humain et non humain : une approche évolutive. Langages. v.2, n.234, p.21-44, 2024. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.3917/lang.234.0021. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
BATESON, Mary C. Mother-infat exchanges: the epigenesist of conversational interaction. Dev. Psych. and Comm. Dis. v.263, n.1, p.101-113. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1975.tb41575.x. Acesso em 10 jan. 2026.
BIGELOW, Ann E.; POWER, Michelle. Influences of infants' and mothers' contingent vocal responsiveness on young infants' vocal social bids in the Still Face Task. Infant Behav Dev. v.69, p.1-15, Nov. 2022. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2022.101776. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
BORJON, Jeremy I.; ABNEY, Drew H.; YU, Chen; SMITH, Linda B. Infant vocal productions coincide with body movements. Dev Sci. v.27, n.4, e13491, Jul. 2024a. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.13491. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
BORJON, Jeremy I.; SAHOO, Manash K.; RHODES, Katherine D.; LIPSCHUTZ, Rebecca; BICK, Johanna R. Recognizability and timing of infant vocalizations relate to fluctuations in heart rate. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. v.124, n. 52, e2419650121, Dec. 2024b. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2419650121. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
BOURJADE, Marie; DAFREVILLE, Mawa; SCOLA, Céline; JOVER, Marianne. Six-month-old infants' communication in a comparative perspective: Do maternal attention and interaction matter? J Exp Child Psychol, Jul. 2023. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2023.105651. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
BURKHARDT-REED, Megan M.; LONG, Helen L; BOWMAN, Dale D., BENE, EDINA R., OLLER, Kimbrough. The origin of language and relative roles of voice and gesture in early communication development. Infant Behav Dev. v.65, Nov. 2021. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2021.101648. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
CYCHOSZ, Margaret; CRISTIA, Alejandrina; BERGELSON, Elika; CASILLAS, Marisa; BAUDET, Gladys; WARLAUMONT, Anne S.; SCAFF, Camila; YANKOWITZ, Lisa; SEIDL, Amanda. Vocal development in a large-scale crosslinguistic corpus. Dev Sci. v.24, n.5, e13090, Sep. 2021. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.13090. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
ELMLINGER, Steven L.; GOLDSTEIN, Michael H.; CASILLAS, Marisa. Immature Vocalizations Simplify the Speech of Tseltal Mayan and U.S. Top Cogn Sci.v.15, n.2, p.315-328, Apr. 2023. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1111/tops.12632. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
ELMLINGER, Steven L.; SCHWARE, Jennifer A.; VOLLMER, Laura; GOLDSTEIN, Michael H. Learning how to learn from social feedback: The origins of early vocal development. Dev Sci. v.26, n,2, e13296, Mar. 2023. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.13296. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
EMBARKI, Mohamed; PILLOT-LOISEAU, Claire. Voix et émotions: considérations théoriques et nouvelles perspectives interdisiplinaires. Langages. v.234, n.2, p.11-20, 2024. Disponível em: doi-org.ezproxy.u-paris.fr/10.3917/lang.234.0021. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
FARROW, Claire; Jacqueline Blissett, Shefu Islam, Rachel Batchelor, Rebecca Norman, Charlotte Webber, Elsa Addessi, Francesca Bellagamba, Amy T. Galloway, Laura Shapiro. Approach to Complementary Feeding and Infant Language Use: An Observational Study. Matern Child Nutr. v.21, n.1,e13762. Jan. 2025. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13762. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
FIELDS-OLIVIERI, Margaret A.; COLE, Pamela M. Toddler negative emotion expression and parent-toddler verbal conversation: Evidence from daylong recordings. Infant Behav Dev. v.67, 101711. May 2022. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2022.101711. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
GIBSON, Violet; SOMOGYI, Eszter; NOMIKOU, Iris; TAYLOR, Derry; LÓPEZ, Beatriz; MULENGA, Innocent Chitalu; DAVILA-ROSS, Marina. Preverbal infants produce more protophones with artificial objects compared to natural objects. Sci Rep. v.13, n.1,9969. Jun. 2023. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-36734-9. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
GRATIER, Maya; DEVOUCHE, Emmanuel; GUELLAI, Bahia; INFANTI, Rubia; YILMAZ, Ebru; PARLATO-OLIVEIIRA, Erika. Early development of turn-taking in vocal interaction between mothers and infants. Front. Psychol. v.6, 1167. Sep. 2015. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01167. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
GRATIER, Maya. Expressions of belonging: the effect of acculturation on the rhythm and harmony of mother-infant vocal interaction. Musicae Scientiae. v.3, Suppl 1, p.93-122. Sep. 1999. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1177/10298649000030S107. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
HA, Seunghee; JOHNSON, Cynthia J.; OLLER, Kimbrough D.; Yoo, Hyunjoo. Cross-linguistic comparison of utterance shapes in Korean- and English-learning children: An ambient language effect. Infant Behav Dev. v.62, 101528. Feb. 2021. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2021.101528. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
HA, Seunghee. The Predictability of Naturalistic Evaluation of All-Day Recordings for Speech and Language Development. J Speech Lang Hear Res. v.67, n.5, p.1370-1384. May 2024. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1044/2024_JSLHR-23-00571.Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
ILARI, Beatriz Senoi. Bebês entendem de música: percepção e cognição musical no primeiro ano de vida. Revista da ABEM. Porto Alegre, v.7, p.83-90, set. 2002. Disponível em: https://revistaabem.abem.mus.br/revistaabem/article/view/435. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
ILARI, Beatriz Senoi. Desenvolvimento cognitivo-musical no primeiro ano de vida. In: ILARI, Beatriz Senoi (Org.). Em busca da mente musical. Curitiba: UFPR. 2006: p.271-302.
JEONG, Yulim; HA, Seunghee. Early developmental changes in infants' vocal responses in interactions with caregivers. Infant Behav Dev. v.78,102022. Mar. 2025. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2024.102022. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
KENT, Ray D. The maturational gradient of infant vocalizations: Developmental stages and functional modules. Infant Behav Dev. v.66,101682. Feb. 2022. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2021.101682. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
KEREN-PORTNOY, Tamar; DAFFERN, Helena; DE PAOLIS, Rory A.; COX, Christopher M. M.; OXLEY, Florence A. R.; KANAAN, Mona. "Did I just do that?"-Six-month-olds learn the contingency between their vocalizations and a visual reward in 5 minutes. Infancy. v.26,n.6, p.1057-1075. Nov. 2021. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1111/infa.12433. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
KOKKINAKI, Theano S.; VASDEKIS, V.G.S; KOUFAKI, Zaharenia E; TREVARTHEN, Colwyn B. Coordination of emotions in mother-infant dialogues. Infant and Child development. v. 26, n. 2, e1973, mar. 2017. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1002/icd.1973. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
KOTTMANN, Tabea; WANNER, Maren; WERMKE, Kathleen. Fundamental Frequency Contour (Melody) of Infant Vocalizations across the First Year. Folia Phoniatr Logop. v.75, n.3, p.177-187. Dec. 2023. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1159/000528732. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
LAING, Catherine; BERGELSON, Elika. From babble to words: Infants' early productions match words and objects in their environment. Cogn Psychol. v.122, 101308. Nov. 2020. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogpsych. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
LAUDAŃSKA, Zuzanna; BABIS, Karolina; KOZIOŁ, Agata; SZMYTKE, Magdalena; MARSCHIK, Peter B.; ZHANG, Dajie; MALINOWSKA-KORCZAK, Anna; PÉREZ, David López; TOMALSKI, Przemyslaw. Context Shapes (Proto) Conversations in the First Year of Life. Dev Sci. v.28,n.3, e70018. May 2025. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.70018. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
LAVILLE, Christian; DIONNE, Jean. A construção do saber – Manual de metodologia da pesquisa em ciências humanas. Porto Alegre: Artmed, 1999.
LEE, Yuran; HA, Seunghee. Parental verbal responsiveness to infant vocalizations from 9 to 14 months of age. Infant Behav Dev. v.73, 101886. Nov. 2023. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2023.101886. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
LOGRIECO, Maria Grazia; NICOLI, Ilaria; SPINELLI, Maria; LIONETTI, Francesca; D’URSO, Giulio; GUERRA, Giulia Carlotta; D’ALOIA, Valeria; TOTO, Giusi; FASOLO, Mirco. Early, typical, and late talkers: an exploratory study on predictors of language development in the first two years of life. F1000Res.v.16,13:798. Jul. 2024. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.145763.1. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
LONG, Helen L.; BOWMAN, Dale D.; YOO, Hyunjoo; BURKHARDT-REED, Megan M.; BENE, Edina R.; OLLER, Kimbrough. Social and endogenous infant vocalizations. PLoS One. v.15, n.8, e0224956. Aug. 2020. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0224956. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
LONG, Helen L.; RAMSAY, Gordon; GRIEBEL, Ulrike; BENE, Edina R; BOWMAN Dale D.; BURKHARDT-REED, Megan M.; OLLER, Kimbrough. Perspectives on the origin of language: Infants vocalize most during independent vocal play but produce their most speech-like vocalizations during turn taking. PLoS One. v.17, n.12,e0279395. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0279395. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
NAGY. Emese; MOLNAR, Peter. Homo imitans or homo provocans? Human imprinting model of neonatal imitation. Infant Behavior and Development, v. 27, n. 1, p. 54–63, 1 Feb. 2004. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2003.06.004. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
NAGY, Emese; PILLING, Karen; BLAKE, Victoria; ORVOS, Hajnalka. Positive evidence for neonatal imitation: A general response, adaptative engagement. Developmental Science. v.23, n.2, e12894, Mar. 2020. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.12894. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
NORTHRUP, Jessie B.; IVERSON, Jana M. Multimodal coordination of vocal and gaze behavior in mother-infant dyads across the first year of life. Infancy. v.25, n.6, p.952-972. Nov. 2020. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1111/infa.12369. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
NYMAN, Anna; STRÖMBERGSSON, Sofia; LOHMANDER, Anette. Canonical babbling ratio - Concurrent and predictive evaluation of the 0.15 criterion. J Commun Disord. v.94,106164. Nov-Dec. 2021. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcomdis.2021.106164. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
OLLER, Kimbrough; RAMSAY, Gordon; BENE, Edina R.; LONG, Helen.; GRIEBEL, Ulrike. Protophones, the precursors to speech, dominate the human infant vocal landscape. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. v.25, n.376, 20200255. Sep. 2021. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2020.0255. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
OLLER, Kimbrough. The emergence of the speech Capacity. New York: Psychology Press. 2000.
PAPOUŠEK, Hanus; PAPOUŠEK, Mechthild. Intuitive parenting. In: Osofsky, J. (ed.). Handbook of infant development. New York: Wiley, 1987.
PARLATO-OLIVEIRA, Erika. Fundamentos para uma clínica psicanalítica do bebê. São Paulo: Instituto Langage, 2024.
PARLATO-OLIVEIRA, Erika. Les bébés et ses savoirs. Toulousse: Érès, 2022.
PARIZZI, Betânia; RODRIGUES, Helena. O bebê e a música. São Paulo: Instituto Langage, 2020.
SALVADORI, Eliala; COLONNESI, Cristina; ELSAMMAK, Linnea; Oort, Frans J.; MESSINGER, Daniel S. Beyond the familial: The development of emotional communication with mothers, fathers, and strangers. Infancy. v. 27, n. 4, p. 836-862, Jul. 2022. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1111/infa.12467. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
SALVADORI, Eliala; COLONNESI, Cristina; OORT, Frans J.; MESSINGER, Daniel S. Predicting pointing from early socioemotional communication with mothers, fathers, and strangers through the lens of temperamental reactivity. Dev Psychol. v.60, n.11, p.2127-2143. Nov. 2024. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001671. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
SILVA, Elizabeth B da; BERTENTHAL, Bennett I. Biobehavioral Correlates of Infants' Social Bidding During the Still-Face Paradigm. Infancy. v.30,n.3, e70023. May-Jun. 2025. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1111/infa.70023. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
SOLA, Ana Marija; BRODIE, Kara D.; STEPHANS, Jihyun; SCARPELLI, Chiara; CHAN, Dylan K. Tracking Home Language Production and Environment in Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. v.166, n.1, p.171-178. Jan. 2022. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1177/01945998211013785. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
SOUZA, Marcela Tavares de; SILVA, Michelly Dias da; CARVALHO, Rachel de. Integrative Review: What Is It? How to Do It? Einstein (São Paulo), v. 8, n. 1, p. 102–106. Mar. 2010. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1590/S1679-45082010RW1134. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
SUAREZ-RIVERA; Catalina; PINHEIRO-MEHTA,Nicole; TAMIS-LEMONDA Catherine S. Within arms reach: Physical proximity shapes mother-infant language exchanges in real-time. Dev Cogn Neurosci. v.64, 101298. Dec. 2023. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101298. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
SULLIVAN, Kelsey; PUGLIA, Meghan; TRINH, Ashley; CONAWAY, Mark; FAIRCHID, Karen; ZANELLI, Santina. Increased parent speech and parent stress is associated with early vocalizations in preterm infants. Early Hum Dev.v.206, 106288. Jul. 2025. DOI: 106288. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2025.106288. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
TREVARTHEN, Colwyn; KENNETH, Aitken J.; GRATIER, Maya. O bebê nosso professor. São Paulo: Instituto Langage, 2019.
VAN DER KLIS, Anika; ADRIAANS, Frans; KAGER, René. Infants' behaviours elicit different verbal, nonverbal, and multimodal responses from caregivers during early play. Infant Behav Dev. v.71, 101828. May 2023. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2023.101828. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
VAN DER KLIS, Anika; JUNGE, Caroline; ADRIAANS, Frans; KAGER, René. The role of dyadic combinations of infants' behaviors and caregivers' verbal and multimodal responses in predicting vocabulary outcomes. Infancy. v.30, n.1, e12626. Jan-Feb. 2025. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1111/infa.12626. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
VORPERIAN, Houri K.; KENT, Ray D.; LINDSTROM, Mary J.; KALINA, Cliff M.; GENTRY, Lindell R; YANDELL, Brian S. Development of vocal tract length during early childhood: a magnetic resonance imaging study. J Acoust Soc Am. v.117; n.1, p. 338-50. Jan. 2005 Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1121/1.1835958. Acesso em:10 jan. 2026.
WARLAUMONT, Anne S.; SOBOWALE, Kunmi; FAUSEY, Caitlin M. Daylong mobile audio recordings reveal multitimescale dynamics in infants’ vocal productions and auditory experiences. Curr Dir Psychol Sci. v.31, n.2, p.12-19. Feb. 2022. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1177/09637214211058166. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
WASS, Sam; PHILLIPS, Emily; SMITH, Celia; FATIMEHIN, Elizabeth O.O.B.; GOUPIL, Louise. Vocal communication is tied to interpersonal arousal coupling in caregiver-infant dyads. Elife. v.20, n.11, e77399. Dec. 2022. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.77399. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
WASS, Sam; SMITH, CELIA S.; MIRZA, Farhan U.; GREENWOOD, Eugenia M.; GROUPIL, Louise. Needing to shout to be heard? Caregiver under-responsivity and disconnection between vocal signaling and autonomic arousal in infants from chaotic households. Child Dev. v.96, n.2, p.527-545. Mar-Apr. 2025. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.14183. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
WERMKE, Kathleen; ROBB, Michael P.; SCHLUTER, Philip J. Melody complexity of infants' cry and non-cry vocalisations increases across the first six months. Sci Rep. v.11, n.1, 4137. Feb. 2021. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-83564-8. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
WERMKE, Kathleen; CLAD, Fabian; BLUM, Daria; CEBULLA, Mario; SHEHATA-DIELER, Wafaa. Melody of Vocants: Fixed Pattern or Shaped by Hearing? Folia Phoniatr Logop. v.76, n.2, p.151-163. Jul. 2024. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1159/000533288. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
WERWACH, Annika; MÜRBE, Dirk; SCHAADT, Gesa; MÄNNEL, Claudia. Infants' vocalizations at 6 months predict their productive vocabulary at one year. Infant Behav Dev. v.64, 101588. Aug. 2021. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2021.101588. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
WEST, Kelsey L.; IVERSON, Jana M. Communication changes when infants begin to walk. Dev Sci. v.24, n.5, e13102. Sep. 2021. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.13102. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
WHITTEMORE, Robin; KNAFL, Kathleen. The integrative review: updated methodology. J Adv Nurs. v.52, n.5, p.546-53. Dec. 2005. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2005.03621.x. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
ZHANG, Yisi S.; TAKAHASHI, Daniel Y ; LIAO, Diana D ; GHAZANFAR, Asif A.; ELEMANS, Coen P.H. Vocal state chage through laryngeal development. Nat Commun. v.10, 4592. Oct. 2019. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-12588-6. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
ZHENG, Zhijun; DEGOTARDI, Sheila; SWELLER, Naomi; DJONOV, Emilia. Effects of multilingualism on Australian infants' language environments in early childhood education centers. Infant Behav Dev. v.70, 101799. Feb. 2023. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2022.101799. Acesso em: 10 jan. 2026.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Mariana Negri, Betânia Parizzi, Erika Parlato-Oliveira
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Autores mantêm os direitos autorais e concedem à revista o direito de primeira publicação, com o trabalho simultaneamente licenciado sob a Licença Creative Commons Attribution que permite o compartilhamento do trabalho com reconhecimento da autoria e publicação inicial nesta revista.
