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Is it a learned behaviour?
Initially, crying is an act of necessity. Infants have no other means of expressing what they need (food, dry diaper, nap, attention, medical care). A mother learns to recognize her child's intonation. Eventually, a child learns that crying will bring whatever it wants from an indulgent parent. At which point, crying as manipulation is a learned behaviour. The child must then be taught the appropriate function of tears.
Can babies understand each other?
Probably. Just like we understand people in our own age group a little better than others do, I believe that the closer individuals are in age, the more they understande each other.
How does crying differ in other races\cultures?
I'm not sure crying itself differs, other than in its manipulative uses. It is up to the parents to teach their children about life, including when crying is healthy and / or good. (I don't believe children should use tears or any sort of tantrum to manipulate others. I believe that it is a parent's responsibility to make sure the child knows the difference between manipulation and genuine emotion or pain.)
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17 seconds is all you really need
- Smashing Pumpkins
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