Baillargeons Explanation of Infant Abilities

Question 1

Strength. Improves Piagets reaserch

Answer 1

Had controlled conditions with a more valid measure of interest and no experimenter involvement.
Directly challenges Piagets research.

Question 2

Weakness limtied methodology

Answer 2

Inference of looking or surprise. Difficult to study cognitive processing of infants. Still used infants from 2.5 months not newborns.

Question 3

Strength Language Acquisition Device
Chomsky

Answer 3

A human Language acquisition device is a hypothetical tool in the human brain that lets children learn and understand language quickly. Chomsky developed theory that every child has a LAD which allows them to quickly learn and understand language as they mature. Adds credibility to physical reasoning system as it correlates to what we already know about language and visual development.

Question 4

Weakness
Piaget

Answer 4

Piaget pointed out that acting in accordance to a
Principle is not the same as understanding it. Even if babies are able to recognise and devote more attention to unexpected events it doesn’t mean they understand them. Perhaps VOE research only describes not explains.

Question 5

Weakness researcher reviews
Cashon and Cohen
Schöner and Thelen

Answer 5

Reasercher’s who have reviewed VOE studies suggest that results show attraction to novel/engaging stimuli (Cashon and Cohen) and that infants observe ‘difference’ rather than show surprise. (Schöner and Thelen) VOE is not a valid measure of understanding of the physical world.

Question 6

Strength
Kaufman

Answer 6

Kaufman studies neural correlates during occlusion studies to study the object tracking behaviour of infants and found increased activity in the right temporal region during the impossible event compared to the possible event. Adds a level of scientific empiricism to the inferences made about the understanding of the physical world.

Question 7

Strength
Hespos and Marle

Answer 7

Hespos and Marle point out we have a good understanding of the basic characteristics of the physical world regardless of culture. For example the expectation that if we drop our keys they will fall to the ground, more cross cultural, even if we don’t have past experience of dropping keys. Shows some physical knowledge is Innate. The physical reasoning system explains this.