In the 1970s, developmental psychologist Dr. Edward Tronick conducted what became one of the most important experiments in child development: the Still-Face Experiment at UMass Boston. At first, the mother and baby interact normally. They smile, connect, and respond to each other. Then suddenly, the mother stops responding. No expression. No eye contact. No emotional feedback. Within seconds, the baby senses the disconnection. She tries everything to bring her mother back: smiling, pointing, voc