Final answer:
In newborns, vision is the least developed sense at birth, while senses like hearing, smell, and touch are more refined. Newborns show a preference for their mother's voice and scent, aid in bonding through facial recognition albeit with limited visual capabilities, and respond positively to gentle touch and sweet tastes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Neonate Senses and Development
Among the senses of a newborn baby, vision is the least developed at birth. Although newborns can see, their visual capabilities are limited, and they lack depth perception. However, newborns exhibit a preference for faces and are especially drawn to their caregiver's facial features, aiding in bonding and interaction. Their color perception is confined mainly to reds at birth but rapidly improves with early development.
Hearing in newborns is much more developed. Newborns respond more to female voices, especially the mother's voice, which can have a soothing effect due to their familiarity with it before birth. The sense of smell is also advanced in neonates; they can distinguish the scent of their own mother from others within the first week of life. Similarly, newborns have an innate preference for the taste of sweet substances and can differentiate between basic tastes.
The sense of touch is quite refined in neonates. Babies respond well to soft stroking, cuddling, and can find comfort in self-soothing behaviors such as thumb sucking. This sense of touch is an important aspect of their connection with the environment and caregivers.