I don't know of any studies in regard to reasons why parents use
pacifiers/dummies.  But, as a parent and an observer of parenting
behavior, I believe that a main reason pacifiers/dummies are used is to
keep the infant quiet.  The cry of an infant is unnerving to most of us.
Even young children seem troubled by an infant crying.  Sadly, there are
often stories in the newspapers about young infants who are abused or
killed by boyfriends of the mother.  Often their reason for the abuse or
murder of the infant is that they couldn't get the infant to stop
crying.
I think many of us, mothers, have felt judged by our ability or lack of
ability to sooth our infants' cries in public and privately.  Some of
the craziest arguments I got into with the father of my children was
over why the baby was crying and how to resolve that crying.  Valerie W.
McClain, IBCLC

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