24 February 2011

Why genuine dialogue matters to babies - Saturday Evening Lecture, 5th March

The importance of genuine dialogue to the emotional and intellectual development of very young children will be discussed during the next Saturday Evening Lecture to be held at the University of Dundee.

Professor Vasudevi Reddy will deliver a talk entitled 'Genuine Dialogue: Why it also matters to babies' at the Dalhousie Building on Saturday, 5th March. This lecture replaces one by Phoebe Caldwell, which was originally scheduled for the same day but had to be cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.

In her lecture, Professor Reddy will explain how babies' sensitivity to the rhythms and emotions of the people around them is striking. This capacity grows in unexpected leaps and bounds throughout the first year of life.

She will explore how the implication of this realisation is that we need to take early conversations seriously, for they not only tell us about children's development, but also help us to understand why relationships are so central to our lives.

Professor Reddy is Professor of Developmental and Cultural Psychology at the University of Portsmouth.

'Genuine Dialogue: Why it also matters to babies' takes place at the Dalhousie Building, Old Hawkhill, from 6pm on Saturday, 5th March. A book signing and drinks reception will follow the event, and overflow theatres may be in use.

Free tickets are available by calling 01382 385564, emailing events@dundee.ac.uk, visiting www.dundee.ac.uk/tickets or from the University's Tower Building Reception. Tickets already distributed for Phoebe Caldwell’s lecture remain valid for this event.

More information about all events in the 2011 Saturday Evening Lecture Series, and the speakers, is available at the SELS web page.

For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07854 953277