InfancyInfancy

Learning Capacities & Learning Capacities &

Perceptual DevelopmentPerceptual Development

““The infant’s world is a great blooming, buzzing confusion.”The infant’s world is a great blooming, buzzing confusion.”

~ William James~ William James

How do infants learn?How do infants learn?

1.1. Classical conditioning: Classical conditioning: Relies on Relies on reflexesreflexes

- - Related to Related to survivalsurvival value of the UCS-CS value of the UCS-CS

How do infants learn?How do infants learn?2.2. Operant conditioning: Operant conditioning: Spontaneous behavior Spontaneous behavior

followed by stimulus changes the likelihood of it followed by stimulus changes the likelihood of it reoccurringreoccurring

– Reinforcer:Reinforcer: positive stimulus positive stimulus– Punishment:Punishment: negative stimulus negative stimulus

Rovee-Collier research Rovee-Collier research

How do infants learn?How do infants learn?3.3. Habituation: Habituation: reductionreduction in response strength due in response strength due

to repetitive stimulationto repetitive stimulation– Recovery:Recovery: heightened response rate upon novel heightened response rate upon novel

stimulistimuliHabituation : shown Habituation : shown

picture until no longer picture until no longer interested interested (e.g., look away)(e.g., look away)

Recovery: old & novel Recovery: old & novel picture & assess picture & assess

responseresponse

(e.g., look at novel picture)(e.g., look at novel picture)LearnedLearnedDid not Did not

LearnLearn

How do infants learn?How do infants learn?

4.4. Imitation: Imitation: learning by copying another personlearning by copying another person– Limited ability in young infantsLimited ability in young infants– Starting point for operant conditioningStarting point for operant conditioning

Which learning Which learning capacity matters capacity matters

most?most?

Perceptual DevelopmentPerceptual DevelopmentWhich pattern do infants prefer to look at?Which pattern do infants prefer to look at?

It depends on which contrast they can perceiveIt depends on which contrast they can perceive< 3 weeks< 3 weeks

> 6 weeks> 6 weeks

1.1. Pattern perceptionPattern perception Infants prefer patterned over plain stimuliInfants prefer patterned over plain stimuli

Contrast sensitivityContrast sensitivity – if pattern – if pattern detectable, prefer stimuli with moredetectable, prefer stimuli with more

MethodsMethods– Habituation-recovery techniqueHabituation-recovery technique

Visual DevelopmentVisual Development

1. 1. Pattern perceptionPattern perception Infants prefer patterned over plain stimuliInfants prefer patterned over plain stimuli

Contrast sensitivityContrast sensitivity – if pattern – if pattern detectable, prefer stimuli with moredetectable, prefer stimuli with more

MethodsMethods– Habituation-recovery techniqueHabituation-recovery technique– Visual scanning – track eye movementsVisual scanning – track eye movements

Visual DevelopmentVisual Development

What do infants perceive on the human What do infants perceive on the human face?face?

Visual DevelopmentVisual Development

2. 2. Depth perceptionDepth perception Judge distance of objects from one another & Judge distance of objects from one another &

ourselvesourselves

Why is depth perception important? Why is depth perception important? – **Allows for reaching & grasping accurately (3 **Allows for reaching & grasping accurately (3

mo)**mo)**– Related to safer crawling (6 mo)Related to safer crawling (6 mo)

Methods: visual cliff Methods: visual cliff (Gibson & Walk, 1960)(Gibson & Walk, 1960)

Visual cliffVisual cliff

Results: % of infants that cross the cliffResults: % of infants that cross the cliff

0102030405060708090100

Refused Crossed

Time crawling & Time crawling & likelihood to cross likelihood to cross

cliff cliff

rr = .54 = .54

Nature & nurture influence depth Nature & nurture influence depth perception!perception!

Preparation for In-class Activity Preparation for In-class Activity 33

Find a reputable toy website (e.g., Fisher Find a reputable toy website (e.g., Fisher Price, Leap Frog, Baby Einstein, etc.) Price, Leap Frog, Baby Einstein, etc.)

and visit the section featuring toys for and visit the section featuring toys for infantsinfants. Identify . Identify oneone of the top selling of the top selling toys and bring information (i.e., name, toys and bring information (i.e., name, picture, website, etc.) in for the next picture, website, etc.) in for the next

class period. class period.